An abnormal accumulation of chyle (fatty lymph) in the space around the lungs, usually caused by damage to the thoracic duct.
From Greek 'chylos' (chyle) + 'thorax' (chest). This compound term directly describes the location and substance involved—it's chyle in the thorax, reflecting medicine's preference for descriptive, location-based naming.
Chylothorax sounds rare because it is, but it's a dramatic medical emergency where the body's nutrient-delivery system leaks into the wrong space, and a surgeon has to find and seal the leak—it's like finding a puncture in an invisible pipe inside the chest.
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