A Case of Pseudochylothorax Developed from Chronic Pleural Effusion after Treatment of Tuberculous Pleurisy.

Park, Eun Kyoung; Chung, Sook Hee; Bae, June Ho; Ryu, Sang Ryol; Lee, Jae Hyung; Kim, Sang Hoon; Cho, Young Uk; Chae, Jeong Don; Lee, Byoung Hoon

doi:2009.67.5.458

Tuberc Respir Dis > Volume 67(5); 2009 > Article

Case Report

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2009;67(5):458-461.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2009.67.5.458 Published online November 1, 2009.

A Case of Pseudochylothorax Developed from Chronic Pleural Effusion after Treatment of Tuberculous Pleurisy.

Eun Kyoung Park, Sook Hee Chung, June Ho Bae, Sang Ryol Ryu, Jae Hyung Lee, Sang Hoon Kim, Young Uk Cho, Jeong Don Chae, Byoung Hoon Lee

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. hoonakr@eulji.ac.kr
²Department of Clinical Pathology, Eulji Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

A pseudochylothorax, a chyliform pleural effusion, is a rare disease of pleural effusion that contains cholesterol crystals or high lipid content that is not the result of a disrupted thoracic duct. Most of the cases were found in patients with long-standing pleural effusion due to chronic inflammatory disease, such as old tuberculous pleurisy or chronic rheumatoid pleurisy. We experienced a case of pseudochylothorax in a 74-year-old man, who was being treated for pulmonary tuberculosis and pleurisy 10 years ago. The diagnosis was confirmed on pathological study of the pleural effusion, which contained cholesterol crystals having a diagnostic rhomboid appearance.

Key Words: Pseudochylothorax, Cholesterol, Pleural Effusion