Papillomas are rare tumors that originate from the mucosa. They may appear in the nose, paranasal sinuses, oral cavity, larynx, trachea, or the skin. Papillomas are mainly asymptomatic and are therefore mostly diagnosed coincidentally. In contrast, laryngeal papillomatosis may cause stridor, dyspnoea, and hoarseness. A viral cause of the disease seems likely, especially human papilloma virus. Mechanical irritation is also a possible reason when the nose, oral cavity, or oropharynx is affected. All papillomas, independent of their origin, may recur, and have the possibility of malignant degeneration in common. The therapy of choice is complete surgical excision. Regarding laryngeal papillomatosis, laser vaporisation or excision using the CO(2)laser is recommended. Because retreatments using conventional modalities are frequently necessary, especially in the case of laryngeal papillomatosis, adjuvant therapies are applied with the aim of reducing the recurrence rate and prolonging the interval between treatments.
