Castleman's Disease of the Porta Hepatis

Castleman's disease is an uncommon cause of lymph node enlargement that mostly involves the mediastinum and lung hilum. It is divided into 2 types: localized, which is usually asymptomatic and presents with a mass lesion; and multicentric, which is characterized by chills, anemia, generalized lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly. An extrathoracic site of involvement is very uncommon, and may be located in the mesentery of the intestines, axilla, and pelvis. Hepatic localization of this disease is a rare event. Herein, we report our experience with a symptomatic case of Castleman's disease in the porta hepatis who has been treated successfully by excision of the hilar lymph nodes, but recurred after 2 years with the same clinical picture plus abnormal liver function tests. However, at the time of recurrence ,no lymphadenopathy was detected and liver biopsy showed giant lymphoid follicles with germinal centers. She was treated with steroids and showed a dramatic response.