2021 Volume 33 Issue 02 Pages 86-88
Although laryngo-tracheal papilloma, also known as recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, is a benign disease, it tends to recur and spread throughout the larynx and trachea. The incidence rate in Western countries has been reported to be less than 1 per 100,000 for both juvenile-onset and adult-onset types. Surgical approaches to managing this disease have varied over time. For example, a carbon dioxide laser was the most popular modality in the 1990s in the United States, whereas a microdebrider has been widely used since the 2000s in both the United States and Europe. Our previous survey revealed that a carbon dioxide laser, microdebrider, and cold steel surgery were used with almost equal frequency in Japan. We are currently conducting a nationwide survey that will help clarify the epidemiology of this morbid disease in Japan. The disease is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), especially the low-risk types of HPV6 and HPV11. Therefore, the 4- and 9-valent HPV vaccine may reduce the incidence of this disease, as observed in anogenital warts.
