Atraumatic laser treatment for laryngeal papillomatosis

Ten to fifteen thousand new cases of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) are diagnosed each year in the United States. RRP is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and is characterized by recurrent, non-malignant, proliferative lesions of the larynx. Patients with RRP undergo numerous microsurgical procedures to remove laryngeal papilloma threatening airway patency and interfering with phonation. The standard surgical technique involves CO2 laser vaporization of laryngeal epithelium affected by the lesions, and requires general anesthesia. The pulsed dye laser operating at 585 nm has previously been demonstrated to be effective in clearing HPV lesions of the skin (verrucae). For treatment of RRP, the fiber- compatible pulsed dye laser radiation may be delivered under local anesthesia using a flexible intranasal laryngoscope. Potential advantages of the pulsed dye laser treatment over CO2 laser surgery include (1) reduced morbidity, especially a lower risk of laryngeal scarring; (2) lower cost; (3) reduced technical difficulty; and (4) reduced risk of viral dissemination or transmission. In vivo studies are underway to determine the effect of pulsed dye laser radiation on normal canine laryngeal tissue.