What is chylous pericardium?

Also known as: chylopericardium, idiopathic chylopericardium.

Blood's non cellular fluid seeps out of blood vessels to bathe the body's cells/tissues and is called interstitial or tissue fluid. When this fluid is drained from the tissues into vessels, it's called lymph and the vessels are called lymphatics.

Lymphatic fluid and lymphatic vessels plays an important role in the body by helping with immune function (moving proteins, fats, vitamins and carrying immune infection-fighting immune cells) and filtering unwanted bacteria through the lymph nodes.

Lymphatics eventually drain into the bloodstream through the a large duct (the thoracic duct) in the neck region. When something interrupts the flow, or damages the ducts, a leak of lymphatic fluid into the space around the heart, is called a chylopericardium.

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Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM