Yellow nail syndrome with massive chylothorax after esophagectomy: A case report

• Main Authors: Takumi Fukaya, Hajime Kasai, Mikihito Saito, Yuika Sasatani, Takashi Urushibara, Seiichiro Sakao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2021-01-01
• Series: Respiratory Medicine Case Reports
• Subjects: Yellow nail syndrome; Thoracic surgery; Conservative treatment; Pleural effusion; Chylothorax
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213007121001106

Yellow nail syndrome (YNS) is a rare condition characterized by the triad of yellow nails, lymphedema, and respiratory manifestations. Diuretics and thoracic drainage are often not effective in YNS, and the most effective treatments are pleurodesis and decortication/pleurectomy. A 66-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for YNS after esophagectomy with gastric tube reconstruction for esophageal cancer. The patient presented with yellow nails and lymphedema. Chest X-rays and computed tomography showed massive pleural effusions and ascites that were both chylous. The patient was considered to have YNS that became apparent after surgery. He recovered with diuretics and a low-fat diet without pleurodesis and decortication/pleurectomy. Thoracic surgery can exacerbate the functional impairment of lymphatic drainage in patients with asymptomatic and undiagnosed YNS, and can lead to further development of YNS-related clinical symptoms. Despite relatively massive chylothorax following thoracic surgery, chylothorax related to YNS could be successfully controlled with conservative treatment without pleurodesis and decortication/pleurectomy.