Recurrent pleural effusion in yellow nail syndrome successfully treated with video-assisted thoracic surgery: comparison of two surgical strategies in two cases

Pleural effusions as part of the yellow nail syndrome (YNS) can often be recurrent, requiring multiple thoracocentesis. The optimal surgical treatment of such recurrent effusions remains unclear and various methods including thoracoscopic pleurodesis, pleuroperitioneal shunts and pleurectomy have been described. We report two cases of recurrent pleural effusions in YNS, the first case with bilateral effusions and the second with right-sided effusions treated 2 months apart from bilateral long-term tunnelled catheters and thoracoscopic pleurectomy and compare the results of the two treatment strategies.