Successful octreotide treatment of chylothorax following coronary artery bypass grafting procedure. A case report and review of the literature.

Chylothorax occurs in 0.25 to 0.50% of cardiac operations performed through thoracotomy incisions and is more unusual after median sternotomy. A case of chylothorax following coronary artery bypass grafting is presented. Combined treatment with pleural drainage, "nothing per os", total parenteral nutrition and subcutaneous injection of somatostatin was effective and led to rapid cessation of chyle production.