Beyond the Milky Pleural Fluid: A 14-Year Study on Non-Traumatic Chylothorax From a Tertiary Care Hospital in India.

Chylothorax is an uncommon type of pleural effusion caused by the accumulation of chyle in the pleural space. It represents 2% to 3% of pleural effusions and can be classified into two categories: traumatic and non-traumatic. Chylothorax may carry high morbidity and mortality, especially when associated with trauma or malignancies. We present five cases of non-traumatic chylothorax, confirmed by pleural fluid analysis, with different etiologies seen at the Metro Center for Respiratory Diseases, Noida, from 2010 to 2024. These cases represent the wide spectrum of conditions associated with this unusual finding.