Cardiac tamponade: chylopericardium presenting 2 weeks after mechanical aortic valve replacement through a median sternotomy.

Chylopericardium is a rare disorder that can be secondary to thoracic duct injury. Consequences include nutritional, metabolic, and immunologic abnormalities, as well as cardiac complications, such as pericarditis and cardiac tamponade. We present a case of chylopericardium presenting as cardiac tamponade after a median sternotomy for mechanical aortic valve replacement.