First successful case of percutaneous transabdominal thoracic duct embolization (PTTDE) for chylous ascites resulting from laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery

A 61-year-old woman underwent laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) with extragastric lymph node dissection (D2). Two months later, she was readmitted to hospital to be treated for chylous ascites. Oral intake was discontinued and total parenteral nutrition started, but increasing body weight and decreasing serum albumin concentration was not controllable. Percutaneous transabdominal thoracic duct embolization (PTTDE) was performed on the 8th day after the readmission. Five days after PTTDE, oral intake was resumed. Seventeen days after PTTDE, the patient was discharged without recurrence of ascites. She has remained asymptomatic. We describe here the first patient with chylous ascites two months after LADG with D2 dissection for early gastric cancer who was successfully treated by PTTDE.