The Treatment of Laryngeal Papillomas with the Aid of Photodynamic Laser Therapy

Humanpapilloma virus (HPV) associated papillomas are the most common benign laryngeal tumors in children and show a similar distribution in both sexes. Papillomas and condylomas are caused by HPV which belongs to the family of papovaviruses [2]. Numerous studies have shown that there are at least 16 HPV subspecies apparent in man, causing different diseases [13]. In children larynx papillomas are histologically benign whereas in adults papillomatosis turns into cancer in 10%–20% of cases [4,15,16]. Conventional therapy is based on surgical removal of the papillomas by means of CO2 laser systems. Because of the recurrent character of this disorder, the increasing number of surgical interventions leaves scars in the mucous membranes of the vocal cords of the larynx. This results in an increasing malfunction of the larynx.