The occurrence of a postoperative chylothorax after en bloc oesophagectomy for cancer is a severe and potentially life-threatening complication. In this study, we describe the technique of transabdominal mass ligation of the thoracic duct as an elective, simple and safe method for the prevention of postoperative chylothorax.
Keywords: Chylothorax; Oesophageal cancer; Oesophagectomy.