Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42015178›Full record

ArticleJournal of cardiothoracic surgery2026

Magnetic resonance thoracic ductography guides precise thoracic duct ligation for postoperative chylothorax: experience from a four-patient case series.

Li Chen, He-Ping Deng, Kai-Hua Bao, Shao-Hua Xie, Xing Wei, Yuan-Yuan Li, Jin-Song Bai, Pei-Jun Cao, Jing Ren, Bin Hu and 2 more

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PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cardiothoracic surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Li Chen *Department of Thoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 55, Section 4, South Renmin Rd, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
He-Ping Deng *Department of Thoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 55, Section 4, South Renmin Rd, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Kai-Hua Bao *North Sichuan Medical College, Nan Chong, Sichuan, China.
Shao-Hua XieDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 55, Section 4, South Renmin Rd, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Xing WeiDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 55, Section 4, South Renmin Rd, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Yuan-Yuan LiDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 55, Section 4, South Renmin Rd, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Jin-Song BaiDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 55, Section 4, South Renmin Rd, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Pei-Jun CaoDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 55, Section 4, South Renmin Rd, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
Jing RenDepartment of Imaging, School of Medicine, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Bin HuDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 55, Section 4, South Renmin Rd, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China. hubin@scszlyy.org.cn.
Feng-Wei WangDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 55, Section 4, South Renmin Rd, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China. 19111864060@163.com.
Xiaoqin LiuDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 55, Section 4, South Renmin Rd, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China. 594922003@qq.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Postoperative chylothorax is a rare complication after thoracic surgery, characterized by the pathological accumulation of chyle within the pleural space. The management of chylothorax remains controversial, particularly in cases that do not respond to conservative treatment strategies. This case series aims to evaluate the application of magnetic resonance thoracic ductography (MRTD) in guiding precise surgical treatment for refractory postoperative chylothorax. We retrospectively analyzed four patients with postoperative chylothorax who did not respond to conservative therapy. All patients underwent preoperative MRTD to identify the site of the thoracic duct fistula, followed by targeted ligation based on imaging findings. MRTD successfully visualized the fistula in all cases. Under this guidance, all patients underwent successful surgery, with rapid reduction in chyle output postoperatively. Chest tubes were removed within three days, and no recurrence was observed during short-term follow-up. This series demonstrates that preoperative MRTD is an effective, non-invasive imaging tool that provides essential anatomical guidance for precise surgical management of refractory postoperative chylothorax, potentially improving the targeting and success rate of the procedure.

Indexed as

ChylothoraxMagnetic Resonance ImagingPostoperative ComplicationsThoracic DuctAdultFemaleHumansLigationMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesChylothorax managementMagnetic resonance–thoracic ductographyPostoperative chylothoraxThoracic duct fistulaThoracic duct ligation

Identifiers

PMID42015178
PMCPMC13244597

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Registered trials

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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.