Chylorrhea: a rare complication of thoracoscopic discectomy of the thoracolumbar junction

The thoracic duct along with the cisterna chyli is a major lymphatic pathway near the anterior thoracolumbar spine. Despite the fragile nature of the lymphatic system and its proximity to the spinal column, chylorrhea is rarely encountered by spine surgeons. The authors present a unique case of chylorrhea associated with a left thoracoscopic, transdiaphragmatic discectomy and fusion for a T12-L1 herniated disc. The anomalous location of the thoracic duct at the left lateral vertebral column contributes to this unusual complication.