Methods: A total of 1,053 patients (606 males, 447 females; median age: 12 months; range, 3 days to 48 years) who underwent surgery for congenital heart disease at our institute between January 2018 and December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with chylothorax were identified and the data of this cohort was compared with the entire study population. Following the diagnosis of chylothorax, a standardized management protocol was applied to all patients.

Results: Of 1,053 patients operated, 78 (7.4%) were diagnosed with chylothorax. In the univariate analysis, younger age, peritoneal dialysis, preoperative need for mechanical ventilation, surgical complexity, delayed sternal closure, high vasoactive inotrope score in the first 24 h after operation, residual or additional cardiac lesions which required reoperations were found to be the risk factors for chylothorax (p<0.05). In the multivariate analysis, the correlation persisted with only younger age, infections, and peritoneal dialysis requirement (p<0.05). In the chylothorax group, ventilation times were longer, and re-intubation and infection rates were higher (p<0.05). Although the length of intensive care unit and hospital stay was significantly longer in this patient group, there was no significant association between the development of chylothorax and in-hospital mortality (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Chylothorax following congenital cardiac surgery is a significant problem which prolongs the length of hospital stay and increases the infection rates. Complex cardiac pathologies which require surgery at early ages and re-operations are risk factors for chylothorax. Although there is no consensus on the most optimal therapeutic strategy, standardizing the management protocol may improve the results.