Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis: the Korle-Bu experience

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis is a benign disease of the aero digestive tract which is caused by the human papilloma virus type 6 and 11 and mainly affects children.

The aim of this study is to describe the pattern of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis at the E.N.T Unit Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra.

This is a retrospective study of theatre records of patients managed for respiratory papillomata from January 1995 to December 2004 at the E.N.T Unit of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra which is a tertiary facility. These records were studied and we obtained information on gender, age, number of surgeries and the presence of tracheotomy.

Sixty-nine patients were identified over the period. Thirty-three males and 36 females with a M:F ratio 1:1.1, and ages ranging from 2 to 54 years. The mean age was 12.3 years and a median age of 8.5 years.Children less than 10 years accounted for 69% and 46.4% had repeated surgery with overall tracheotomy rate of 14.5%.

Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis is primarily a paediatric disease. Locally, its distribution is comparable to others in the sub region and worldwide and surgery is the mainstay of treatment.