A 15-year-old female was admitted to our department with the complaints of breathlessness, and off and on fever for 1 month. She came from a nonendemic zone of filariasis in Uttar Pradesh. The resting pulse rate was 92/min and blood pressure was 112/74 mmHg. There was no history of contact with a tuberculosis patient. Her physical examination revealed hard, mobile lymph nodes of size 2 × 2 cm approximately, present bilaterally in the cervical region, and pallor. On chest examination, there was stony dull note localized to the bilateral infrascapular, lower axilla. Rest of the systems were within normal limits.\nHer blood examination revealed anemia, and hypoalbuminemia but normal total and differential leukocyte counts. Her chest x-ray revealed bilateral pleural effusion []. The pleural fluid was aspirated (about 2.0 l from left and 1.2 l from right) on both sides that revealed a milky white fluid. Then we thought about the chylothorax. Clearing of the pleural fluid by adding ethyl-ether into it leads to the exclusion of pseudochylothorax. The pleural fluid of both sides was sent for examination that revealed, for the right side, protein 4.2 g%, sugar 44 mg%, and total leukocyte count 3400 cells/mm3; differential leukocyte count was neutrophils 20, lymphocytes 80, pleural fluid triglyceride 535 mg%, and pleural fluid cholesterol 24.8 mg%; pleural fluid of the left side revealed protein 4.0 g%, sugar 40 mg%, and total leukocyte count 3280 cells/mm3; differential leukocyte count was neutrophils 34, lymphocytes 66, pleural fluid triglyceride 188.0 mg%, and pleural fluid cholesterol 24.0 mg% []. Serum triglyceride and serum cholesterol was 72.7 mg% and 71.9 mg%, respectively. The Ziehl-Neelsen stain of the pleural fluid was negative but Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated on the Lowenstein–Jensen culture. The pleural fluid culture for pyogenic organisms was sterile in nature on both sides. PPD showed no indurations. Her biopsy of the cervical lymph node revealed caseating granuloma, and the Bactec culture for M. tuberculosis was also positive in the cervical lymph node biopsy specimen. Her abdomen ultrasound also revealed multiple retroperitoneal and para-aortic lymphadenopathy. Thus a diagnosis of bilateral chylothorax secondary to tuberculosis with cervical lymphadenopathy was established.\nTo confirm the exact site of the thoracic duct tear, lymphangiography was planned but her parents refused for further investigations.\nShe was put on standard 6-month antitubercular treatment: a combination of isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol was started for 2 months followed by isoniazid and rifampicin for a further 4 months. Following this, she showed clinical as well as radiological improvement and chylothorax resolved after 2 months of treatment [], and on regular follow-up she had no further symptoms.
Female patient aged 75 years who had no history of chronic disease apart from depression presented at outpatient clinic with complaints of lassitude, loss of appetite, exertional dyspnea for 4 months, and dry coughing for 2 months. Her examination revealed marked decrease in respiratory sounds at basal segments of the right lung. Hematological values, sedimentation, glucose, urea, creatinine, sodium, potassium, total protein, and albumin levels were within normal limits. Levels of alanine aminotransferase (189 U/L), aspartate aminotransferase (113 U/L), cholesterol (251 mg/ dL), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (193 U/L) were also measured. X-ray graphy revealed a dark shadow, consistent with pleural fluid masking the demarcation line between mediastinum and pleura at the inferior zone of the right lung (). Thoracic computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple sites of lymphadenopathy, the largest containing dense calcification 22 mm in size, and marked pleural effusion on the right side (). Milky fluid with high density sampled from pleural effusion did not precipitate after centrifugation, and contained TG (1072 mg/dL), cholesterol (173 mg/dL), LDH (148 U/L), and albumin (2.7 g/ dL) at indicated concentrations. Sudan staining disclosed presence of fat globules. Lymphocyte dominancy was also detected in pleural fluid. Sputum ARB -negativity was detected 3 times, and bronchoscopy of the patient did not reveal any endobronchial pathology. Pleural biopsy was performed. Bronchial lavage and bronchoscopic biopsy results indicated benign condition of chronic pleuritis. Positron emission tomography-CT was obtained to rule out mediastinal tumor. During lymphatic scanning performed to detect etiology of chylothorax, images taken at second, fourth, and sixth hours demonstrated passage of radiographic contrast substance through bilateral inguinal, parailiac, paracaval, and paraaortic lymph nodes, and accumulation of radioactivity in these lymph nodes at popliteal, femoral, and pelvic regions, respectively. On delayed thoracic images, no uptake of radioactivity apart from background activity was observed. Images suggested possible thoracic duct obstruction. Mediastinal lymph node biopsy performed at external center revealed presence of granulomas demonstrating caseous necrosis. Abdominal ultrasound was normal. Antituberculosis treatment was initiated. Symptoms regressed with treatment, and level of liver enzymes decreased. At sixth month, marked regression in pleural effusion was observed ().