SynthesisOral and maxillofacial surgery2024
Nutritional management of chyle leak after head and neck surgery: a systematic review and proposed protocol for management.
Synthesis in Oral and maxillofacial surgery, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 11 citations in OpenAlex.
- Best evidence summary for nutritional management of cancer patients with chyle leaks following surgery.Frontiers in nutrition · 2024Pooled it
- Low-output lymphatic leakage after contralateral seventh cervical nerve cross transfer: a clinical and anatomical observation.Neurosurgical review · 2026Article
- A protocolized approach to chyle leaks to mitigate prosthetic graft infection.Journal of vascular surgery cases and innovative techniques · 2025Article
- Chinese Expert Consensus on Preventing and Managing Chyle Fistula in Cervical Lymph Node Dissection for Thyroid Cancer (2024).Therapeutics and clinical risk management · 2025Article
- Chyle leak after head and neck surgeries: a comprehensive review of diagnosis and management strategies.Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeChyle leaks are a rare complication of neck surgery causing local damage, impairing healing and compromising free flaps. High output leaks can result in electrolyte imbalances and malnutrition. Nutritional management such as restricting the absorption of triglycerides is believed to reduce chyle, allowing spontaneous resolution of a leak. Dietary preparations and management can aid in reducing chyle production. There are no clear guidelines to aid nutritional decision-making in this complex scenario.
methodsA systematic review of the literature was carried out to identify studies evaluating nutritional management of chyle leaks in patients after neck dissections.
resultsTen studies were identified evaluating the role of nutritional therapy in the management of patients with chyle leaks after neck dissections. The level of evidence was low. Several studies identified that low volume leaks (defined as < 1000 mls per day) often resolved by dietary management and other conservative measures. High volume leaks rarely resolved with conservative measures alone. Parenteral nutrition had an established role in this context.
conclusionsThere is limited evidence to guide dietary restriction and introduction of oral diet in patients with chyle leak after major head and neck surgery. Based on available evidence, local guidelines for the nutritional management of patients identified with a chyle leak were produced and adopted by the Trust and the head and neck MDT. A national database for voluntary contribution of prospective data would help to generate better quality management protocols.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.