Chylous Ascites in Small Bowel Obstruction

Chylous Ascites (CA) is an uncommon finding of lymphatic fluid throughout the peritoneal cavity. It most commonly occurs in adults due to malignancy or liver cirrhosis and there is limited evidence on its presence in small bowel obstruction (SBO). We present a case of a 53 year old man who presents with a SBO in a virgin abdomen and CA intraoperatively. He had viable bowel with no enterectomy required and had an uneventful recovery. This report discusses the relevance of CA in SBO and how it can be a reassuring finding in this context.