Trending Track

What is chyle leak?

Chyle leak can be very dangerous if timely treatment is not sought

By Samantha David October 21, 2022
Chyle leak can be dangerous to those who don't seek treatment

With chyle leak being a popular word on Google right now, have take a look at what a chyle leak is.

To start off, as per clevelandclinic.org a chyle leak occurs when "when your lymphatic vessels become damaged, and chyle — a fluid — leaks into nearby tissues, causing swelling and other symptoms".

It is considered to be a rare and serious complication as a result of head and neck surgery with a probability of 8.3% however timely treatment can curb the seriousness of the disease.

Medical professionals treat the complication with diet, rest and medication. 

A common symptom of this medical condition is shortness of breath which happens as chyle accumulates in your chest and compresses the lungs.