Successful bilateral lung transplantation for lymphangiomatosis

Lymphangiomatosis is a rare disease of lymphatic proliferation for which no adequate treatment is known. We report the first successful case of bilateral lung transplantation for the treatment of end-stage pulmonary lymphangiomatosis. A successful outcome was achieved with continued survival beyond 4 years posttransplant and stable lung function. The primary obstacles to significant gains in pulmonary function were thoracic, skeletal and abdominal lymphangiomatosis, which led to pulmonary restriction. Our report demonstrates that pulmonary lymphangiomatosis should be included among those diseases for which lung transplantation is considered potentially beneficial treatment but also emphasizes the importance of screening patients carefully for chest wall and abdominal lymphangiomas that may impede recovery.