Congenital chylous ascites: a rare entity in a 4m baby

A 4m female baby came to our Dept. of Paediatrics, M.K.C.G. Medical College, Berhampur, Odisha, India for evaluation of abdominal distension and unilateral limb hypertrophy and diagnosed as a rare case of Congenital Chylous Ascites. Congenital Chylous Ascites is defined as accumulation of chyle into the peritoneal cavity in infants younger than 3 months. This condition is often refractory to therapy and it is responsible for severe malnutrition and immunological deficiency because of the loss of proteins and lymphocytes. Its diagnostic evaluation is difficult. In most of the cases conservative treatment is the treatment of choice. Some times repeated Paracentesis may required but when it fails, exploratory laparotomy can provide a successful alternative.