Yellow nail syndrome with thoracic empyema: report of a case.

We report a rare case of yellow nail syndrome (YNS) complicated by thoracic empyema. The patient was a 75-year-old man with yellow nails and a history of respiratory illnesses. Initially he presented with recurrent pleural effusion, which developed into empyema within 3 years. This case serves to reinforce that recurrent pleural effusions should be initiated in the early stage of YNS to prevent the development of empyema.