Intralesional cidofovir and surgical excision for laryngeal papillomatosis

To evaluate the efficacy of cidofovir intralesional therapy in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis and the role of surgical excision as an associated treatment.

Prospective study and case series.

Twenty-six patients received intralesional cidofovir. Three endoscopies were performed at monthly intervals, with intralesion injections of cidofovir at 5 mg/mL. Further endoscopic evaluation was made at 3 or 6 months depending on whether there was persistent papillomatosis. Cidofovir was again injected in the case of persistent papillomas, and treatment was repeated as long as papillomas were observed. Surgical excision of the papilloma was only performed in cases of airway obstruction or in cases proving resistant to cidofovir.

Complete remission was obtained in 8 (31%) patients after an average of 2.6 endoscopic treatment. Seventeen (65%) patients presented slight or mild disease at endpoint (final severity score 1-4). Significant results were obtained in both adults and children. A greater response was obtained in the supraglottis and glottis subsites than in subglottis, tracheal, and other sites. Patients conforming to the 1 month interinjection schedule showed better responses in supraglottis subsite than those receiving their injections with intervals longer than 1 month. Combined therapy (cidofovir plus excision) was necessary in persistent papillomas. No patients presented with any systemic or local side effects.

Cidofovir therapy was an effective treatment in adults and in children, allowing papillomatosis to be controlled without observed side effects. Surgical excision associated with cidofovir injections remained necessary in persistent papillomatosis after cidofovir treatment.