5-405.1:

You have had an operation on your large lymph collecting vessel.

Fluid forms in tissue throughout the body every day. This tissue fluid is the lymph. The lymph is carried around the body by lymph vessels. The lymph vessels run around the entire body and are connected to blood vessels. At some points, there are lymph nodes along the lymph vessels. Pathogens are rendered harmless in the lymph nodes, for example.

The large lymph collecting vessel collects the lymph from the abdomen and legs. The fats from food are also transported in the lymph. The lymph collecting vessel in the chest then runs along the spine and comes out at around the level of the collarbone into a blood vessel.

You have had lymph leak out of your lymph collecting vessel. The location concerned has been sealed via a thoracoscopy. A bronchoscopy first involves making a small incision in the skin. A tube with a camera is pushed through this incision. This camera sends pictures of the inside of the body to a screen. Instruments such as forceps and scissors can be inserted through other small incisions in the chest.