Categories of conditions causing chylous ascites
(1) abdominal trauma (with rupture of lymphatic vessels)
(2) surgery
(3) radiation therapy
(4) hepatic cirrhosis
(5) pancreatitis
(6) lymphatic disorders (see below)
(7) tumors (see below)
(8) infection (see below)
(9) other (see below)
(10) idiopathic (none of the above identified)
Lymphatic disorders
(1) lymphangiectasia
(2) Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome
(3) yellow nail syndrome
(4) lymphangioma
Tumors
(1) stomach cancer
(2) esophageal cancer
(3) pancreatic cancer
(4) islet cell, carcinoid or neuroendocrine tumor
(5) small bowel cancer
(6) lung cancer
(7) prostate cancer in male
(8) testicular cancer in male
(9) endometrial cancer in female
(10) sarcoma
(11) malignant lymphoma (non-Hodgkins or Hodgkins)
(12) CLL
(13) lymphangioleiomyomatosis
Infection
(1) Mycobacterium tuberculosis
(2) atypical mycobacteria, especially in AIDS patients
(3) Ascariasis or other parasitic infection
Other causes:
(1) left ventricular dysfunction
(2) constrictive pericarditis
(3) fibrosing mesenteritis
(4) nephrotic syndrome
(5) vasculitis or collagen vascular disease (SLE, Behcet's, sarcoidosis)
(6) intestinal malrotation
(7) intestinal volvulus
(8) Menetrier disease
(9) familial visceral myopathy
(10) Costello syndrome
(11) Castelman disease
(12) hyperthyroidism
