Coblation resection of paediatric laryngeal papilloma.

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate the successful treatment of laryngeal papillomatosis in a 32-month-old girl, using coblation (radio-frequency ablation) resection.

CASE REPORT

A 32-month-old girl was referred to the ENT out-patients clinic due to a hoarse cry and a very croaky voice since birth. Under general anaesthesia, fibre-optic airway endoscopy revealed a large papillomatous lesion involving the anterior glottis, which was reported as a laryngeal papilloma on histological analysis. This was later excised using an Evac 70Xtra wand. The patient made an uneventful post-operative recovery, and there were no signs of recurrence on repeated airway endoscopies at three and 18 months.

CONCLUSION

Coblation (radio-frequency ablation) is a promising surgical technique for the treatment of paediatric laryngeal papillomatosis. The main advantages of this technique include limited damage to underlying tissues and a bloodless field.