CO(2) laser treatment in 244 patients with respiratory papillomas.
OBJECTIVE
Respiratory papillomas (RP) tend to recur and the difficulty in eradicating the disease makes their treatment frustrating. Meticulous CO(2) laser excisions every 2 months has been the most effective treatment to date. This article analyzes the results of this plan in 244 patients with RP in the nose, nasopharynx, pharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, trachea, lung parenchyma, and skin.


METHODS
Two hundred forty-four patients with recurrent RP were treated by the senior author with CO(2) laser excisions and, in some cases, podophyllum and alpha interferon. Demographics, initial distribution of papillomas, number of operations performed on each patient, and current results were evaluated.


RESULTS
Careful laser excisions of RPs every 2 months achieved "remission" of disease (no visible RP on indirect or often direct laryngoscopy 2 mo after last removal) in 37% of patients, "clearance" of the disease process (no RP clinically apparent for 3 y after last removal) in 6%, and "cure" (no clinical recurrence for 5 y after last removal) in 17%. Juvenile-onset RP tends to follow a more aggressive course than adult-onset RP. Four patients (1.6%) developed malignant transformation of their papillomas. Except for ones in lung parenchyma, RP in areas other than the true vocal cords tend to be cleared faster because aggressive removal does not cause hoarseness. Lung parenchyma RPs are eventually fatal because of pulmonary failure from abscesses and cysts resulting from a lack of effective treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Frequent and meticulously performed CO(2) laser excisions can achieve significant voice and airway improvement, and some clinical "cures." However, effective antiviral medicines and/or immunologic agents are needed to achieve true cures with elimination of all human papilloma virus 6 and 11 viruses.
Dedo
H H
HH
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94117, USA.
Yu
K C
KC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology; D010212:Papilloma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology; D014134:Tracheal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents