Title : Congenital chylothorax. Lessons from reported cases

Chylothorax is the accumulation of chyle—lymphatic fluid rich in triglycerides—in the pleural cavity. This results in pleural effusion. Congenital chylothorax (CC) is the most common cause of neonatal pleural effusions. It occurs in approximately 1 in 25,000 live births and affects female infants more often .CC is often idiopathic but can also be part of genetic syndromes such as Noonan, Turner, Down, Ehlers-Danlos, and Costello syndromes More commonly, it arises in non-syndromic cases. These are due to congenital malformation or injury of the thoracic lymphatic duct. The duct may be occluded, underdeveloped, or traumatically disrupted during delivery.

Diagnosis is typically confirmed by analysis of pleural fluid, which reveals a high concentration of lymphocytes, proteins (e.g., albumin, antibodies, coagulation factors), lipids, and other biologically active components. Given the potential loss of essential immune and nutritional elements, close monitoring and replacement are critical. Management remains challenging, and although surgical options exist, a conservative, stepwise therapeutic approach is widely recommended as the initial strategy.

Dr. AlSufayan is the Head of Neonatology Department at Habib Hospital , Khobar , Saudi Arabia . He has completed his Fellowship training in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine from University of Manitoba, Canada. He also holds a Diploma of Child Health from The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA). He worked as section Head , Research Office , King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Dammam.

He has over 15 years of experience in Neonatology Medicine. He published many articles in his field of interest. Dr. AlSufayan gave many lectures in national and international conferences.