A rare case of Gorham-stout syndrome involving the thoracic spine with progressive bilateral chylothorax: a case report

Abstract Background Gorham-Stout syndrome (GSS) with spinal involvement is extremely rare, and bilateral chylothorax as a complication is usually fatal. In our case, pleural effusion appeared in the left hemithorax after ligating the right thoracic duct. Case presentation A 14-year-old patient prese...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Peng Wang, Wenbo Liao, Guangru Cao, Yongyan Jiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2019-04-01
Series:BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12891-019-2542-z
Description
Summary:Abstract Background Gorham-Stout syndrome (GSS) with spinal involvement is extremely rare, and bilateral chylothorax as a complication is usually fatal. In our case, pleural effusion appeared in the left hemithorax after ligating the right thoracic duct. Case presentation A 14-year-old patient presented with GSS affecting the thoracic spine with bilateral chylothorax. The case was successfully managed using combined conservative and surgical treatments. At the 2-year follow-up visit, the amount of pleural fluid was reduced, the patient’s respiratory function had improved, and the deformity on the thoracic spine had gradually stabilized. Conclusions GSS is a rare disorder of the musculoskeletal system that responds poorly to therapies and exhibits very high morbidity and mortality. Chylothorax is a common complication when lesions involve the thoracic spine, and physicians should be vigilant for possible serious pulmonary complications.
ISSN:1471-2474