Castleman disease of the neck
Castleman Disease is a rare disorder characterized by benign lymph node hyperplasia involving lymphatic tissue in the neck, mediastinum, abdomen, axilla. There are three types of Castleman Disease: hyalin-vascular type localized nodal involvement, asymptomatic form; plasma cell type and generalized and multicentric type. Between 2000-2004, 5 cases with Castleman Disease hyalin-vascular type with cervical lymph node involvement were diagnosed and treated in E.N.T. Department of "St. Spiridon" Hospital Iaşi. 2 of these cases are presented: a 24 year old male and a 13 year old female were admitted with a asymptomatic neck mass with slow progressive growth. Paraclinical exams (radiology, cervical and abdominal echography, CT scanner) confirmed the lymphadenopathy and excluded another localization. Differential diagnosis included tuberculosis, metastatic lymphadenopathy, lymphoma, branchial cyst etc. The treatment of choice was surgical excision by cervicotomy in all cases, followed by vascular proliferation and hyalinization in affected lymph nodes. Postoperative controls no revealed recurrences. The prognosis of localized form of Castleman Disease hyalin-vascular tape is better than multicentric form surgical excision is both diagnostic and therapeutic.