Microsurgical treatment of chyluria: a preliminary report

We treated 80 patients with recurrent chyluria (68 men and 12 women) by a microsurgical technique since 1978. Transinguinal spermatic lymphangiovenous anastomosis was performed in 64 patients and inguinal lymph node-saphenous vein anastomosis was performed in 16. Followup was 6 months to 11 years in 50 of the former and 12 of the latter patients. Chyluria disappeared completely in 30 (60%) and 8 (66.7%) patients, respectively. In 6 of the former patients (12%) chyluria had disappeared immediately after the operation but it recurred within 1.5 to 3 years. The procedure has the advantage of a superficial operative field, and is simple and less traumatic.