Successful single-lung transplantation for multicentric Castleman disease

We report a rare case of multicentric Castleman disease treated successfully with single-lung transplantation. A 12-year-old patient developed increasing dyspnea. Elevated serum interleukin-6 (177.0 pg/mL) and immunoglobulin G (IgG; 13,900 mg/dL) levels were observed. Steroid therapy was effective but the respiratory condition gradually deteriorated. He underwent single-lung transplantation at 36 years of age. Preoperative interleukin-6 and IgG levels were 0.3 pg/mL and 5,260 mg/dL, respectively. After 6 months he is alive without symptoms. Postoperative IgG levels were restored to normal limits (1,624 mg/dL) and interleukin-6 levels remained within normal limits (1.4 pg/mL). Overinflation of the native left lung also improved.