Contemporary management of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis in children

Abstract

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a rare disease, yet represents the most common benign neoplasm of the larynx in children. While the primary symptom is hoarseness, these changes in voice may go unnoticed with potentially devastating consequences due to airway obstruction. This chapter will focus on the contemporary management of RRP in children. Virology will be discussed briefly, focusing specifically on disease severity. Clinical features, including history, physical exam, and airway endoscopy with staging assessment, will be provided. The main emphasis will be directed at surgical management including cold-steel, microdebrider, and laser techniques, as well as anesthesia considerations. A brief discussion on combination therapy, in which adjuvant treatment is paired with surgical management, will be reviewed. Finally, we will present novel opportunities for personalized medicine using cell culture techniques on tumor specimens.