Chylous reflux syndrome involving the pericardium and lung.

A ten-year-old boy with symptom-free pulmonary interstitial edema and pericardial effusion was found to have a chylous reflux syndrome involving the pericardium and lung. Evidence suggests that unlike patients with isolated primary chylopericardium in whom pericardial window and/or ligation of the thoracic duct is curative, those with chylous reflux should be managed medically since the morbidity and mortality of surgical treatment is high in this syndrome.