The patient was brought from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit to the operating room within an endotracheal tube im place and with enteral feeds established at full flow to provide maximum fat content and maximum lymphatic flow.  We conducted a surgical time-out and reiterated all of the patient's important identifying information and confirmed the operative plan as described above.  Preparation and draping of his abdomen was done with chlorhexidine based prep solution and then we opened his peritoneal cavity through a transverse supraumbilical incision dividing both rectus muscles and all layers of the abdominal wall fascia.  As the peritoneal cavity was entered, we divided the umbilical vein ligamentum teres remnant between Vicryl ties, and we were able to readily identify a large amount of chylous ascites that had been previously described.  The bowel was eviscerated, and then with careful inspection, we were able to identify this extensive area of intestinal and mesenteric lymphangiectasia that was a source of the patient's chylous ascites.  The small bowel from the ligament of Treitz to the proximal to mid jejunum was largely unaffected, but did not appear that resection of 75% of the small intestine and colon would be a satisfactory tradeoff for The patient, but would likely render him with significant short bowel and nutritional and metabolic problems.  Furthermore, it might burn bridges necessary for consideration of intestinal transplantation in the future if that becomes an option.  We suctioned free all of the chylous accumulations, replaced the intestines to their peritoneal cavity, and then closed the patient's abdominal incision with 4-0 PDS on the posterior sheath and 3-0 PDS on the anterior rectus sheath.  Subcuticular 5-0 Monocryl and Steri-Strips were used for skin closure.