Neck swelling 19 days after thyroidectomy: A case report of a rare chyle leak patient

Abstract

The occurrence of chyle leak after neck dissection for thyroid carcinoma is uncommon, but it usually occurs within 1–10 days after surgery. We encountered a 30-year-old patient with chyle leak 19 days after the operation for thyroid carcinoma. The initial symptom was swelling of the neck, which was quickly diagnosed as chyle leak by puncture. This report describes the patient’s presentation and discusses the conservative management of this complication. We highlight that more attention should be given to chyle leak in high-risk patients, and stricter dietary management for these patients after surgery may avoid this complication. In addition, timely diagnosis and rapid implementation of various conservative treatment measures play an important role in patient recovery.