Laparoscopic Surgical Management of Giant Post-Traumatic Lymphocele Involving Sacrum and the Lower Extremity

ABSTRACT

Lymphocele (collection of lymphatic fluid) is not an uncommon occurrence after trauma, surgical or otherwise. It is commonly associated with kidney transplant surgery and trauma to soft tissues of an extensive nature. In this paper, we report the minimally invasive surgical management of an unusual case of a 30-year-old physician who was involved in a road traffic accident as a result of which he received extensive soft tissue injuries to the sacrum, the right buttock, and the right thigh. Over a period of 3 months, he developed a giant lymphocele that defied three attempts at excision and drainage. The patient underwent successful laparoscopic drainage of the collection with ablation of the lining. Video-assisted surgical drainage and ablation is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive procedure that should be put to wider use and can be used to treat very large lesions.