Treatment of a persistent postoperative chylothorax with somatostatin

Chylothorax is a rare but potentially serious complication of pediatric cardiac operations. We report the case of a 4-month-old boy who underwent a Senning procedure for correction of image-transposition of the great vessels. A persistent postoperative chylothorax developed, necessitating continuous drainage, despite conservative treatment over 3 weeks. Thereafter, continuous somatostatin infusion for 14 days led to the reduction and finally cessation of chyle production. This treatment allowed early enteral feeding and avoided further surgical intervention.