[Laryngeal Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis: Current Aspects on Diagnosis and Therapy].

Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (RRP) is a rare infectious disease of the upper aerodigestive tract caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Virus subtypes 6 and 11 are found in most of the papillomas, type 11 is associated with a severe course. There are a juvenile and an adult form defined by age of initial manifestation. The juvenile form shows a more severe course according to number of surgical interventions and secondary malignancy. A variety of treatment modalities are used to treat RRP. Baseline therapy is a surgical therapy via microlaryngoscopical approach. Extended surgical therapies are not indicated because HPV persists in surrounding tissue of visible lesions. Primary objective is therefore functional preservation of the aerodigestive tract. Adjuvant therapy might be helpful in selected cases, and is actually subject of investigation. HPV vaccination exists and will prospectively change incidence of RRP in the following years.