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Start free with EleplanCongenital chylothorax
ORPHA:264688Disease
What it is
Congenital chylothorax is a rare, potentially life-threatening neonatal condition characterized by the accumulation of chyle within the pleural space leading to respiratory distress, malnutrition and immunological compromise, either immediately after birth or within the first few weeks of life. Congenital chylothorax is the most common cause of pleural effusion in neonates; it can occur primarily due to developmental anomalies of the lymphatic duct or can be associated with chromosomal anomalies (e.g. Noonan syndrome, Turner syndrome and Down syndrome), hydrops fetalis, mediastinal neuroblastoma and other congenital malformations.
Key facts
- Prevalence
- 1-9 / 100 000 (at birth, Germany)
- Age of onset
- Infancy, Neonatal
- Inheritance
- Not applicable, Unknown
- Classified as
- Disease
Prevalence figures describe populations, not individuals, and are often estimates from a single study. Where the figure is an incidence or a birth prevalence, it says so.
ICD-10 codes
Related health topics
Reached through the ICD-10 categories this disease is filed under, so these describe the broader group rather than this disease specifically.
Cross-references
Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999. Data version 2026-06-23. Available under CC BY 4.0. This is a reference, not medical advice.
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