Laser Treatment For Laryngeal Papillomatosis

We will develop a cost-effective, a traumatic pulsed dye laser treatment for patients withrecurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). RRP is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), and ischaracterized by recurrent, nonmalignant, proliferative lesions of the larynx. Patients with RRP typicallyundergo numerous microsurgical procedures to remove laryngeal papilloma threatening airway patency.The standard surgical technique involves CO2 laser vaporization of laryngeal epithelium affected by thelesions, and requires general anesthesia. We will illustrate the pulsed dye laser can be used to induceregression of laryngeal papilloma in an a traumatic manner. It has already been shown that the pulseddye laser is effective in clearing HPV lesions of the skin (verrucae). The pulsed dye laser radiation is fibercompatible, and may be delivered using a flexible intranasal laryngoscope and local anesthesia. Potentialadvantages 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.