Recurrent pleural effusions in a neonate.

Difficulty breathing is a common presenting complaint for infants in the emergency department (ED). Periodic breathing, respiratory or systemic infection, and congenital heart disease are common diagnoses in this age group. We report the case of a male neonate presenting to the ED on multiple occasions with respiratory distress and recurrent pleural effusions of unique origin. Unlike adult pleural effusions, pediatric effusions are most commonly exudative and of infectious origin. In neonates, acquired chylothorax secondary to surgery or trauma is the most common cause of symptomatic pleural effusions. Congenital chylothorax is a rare entity that has not been presented in the emergency medicine literature. This case illustrates the extremely rare ED presentation of congenital chylothorax and outlines an approach to pediatric pleural effusions.