A Case of Chylothorax without Organic Changes in the Peripancreatic Region Following Pancreatitis Managed with Watchful Waiting.

A 77-year-old man was referred for an evaluation of persistent left-sided pleural effusion that progressively increased after treatment for acute alcoholic pancreatitis, which had been managed without any intra-abdominal procedures. Thoracentesis yielded a milky pleural fluid with markedly elevated triglyceride levels, consistent with a diagnosis of chylothorax. Although lymphangiography failed to identify the exact site of chyle leakage, chylothorax was considered to be associated with pancreatitis, as no alternative causes were identified. Chylothorax can develop after pancreatitis, even in the absence of structural pancreatic abnormalities or prior abdominal interventions.