Laryngeal papillomatosis: causes, symptoms and treatment

Papillomas that appear in patients in the upper respiratory tract are an external manifestation of human papillomavirus infection. Such neoplasms are hyperplastic growths. In most cases, they develop against the background of rapid cell division (this process is provoked by the HPV virus). After a person is infected with papillomavirus, it sharply activates, especially if the patient has poor functioning of the immune system.

In some cases, such neoplasms can degenerate and provoke the development of cancer. That is why experts recommend timely vaccination, which will protect them from replication of HPV types 18 and 16. The desired effect of vaccination will be achieved only if the patient’s body does not contain the causative agent of human papillomavirus infection.

ICD 10 code

Human papillomavirus infection of the upper respiratory tract, in particular the larynx, is included in the international classifier ICD 10 under number B 97.7. The cause of the disease is a viral infection of type 6 or 10 (currently about 100 types of papillomavirus have been identified). After infection with these strains of HPV, patients experience an acute and rapid course of the disease. In most cases, relapses occur. In adults, papillomavirus infection of the upper respiratory tract develops between the ages of 20 and 30 years, or after 50 years. In children, this disease occurs at a young age, and often provokes the development of bronchopneumonia.

Papilloma in the throat: symptoms of laryngeal papillomatosis (PHOTO), removal with laser and folk remedies

Dermatologist of the highest category Inna Vladimirovna
38436
Update date: April 2020

General pathology - papilloma of the throat.

The diagnosis can be made in a child or adult who is a carrier of HPV. Viral growth forms directly on the mucous membrane of the throat or larynx. As it grows, it begins to cause symptoms.

Sometimes the tumor even becomes life-threatening. Timely treatment of the papilloma virus helps to avoid an unsuccessful outcome.

Reasons for appearance

Laryngeal papillomatosis causes causes that have long been known to doctors. The disease begins to spread in the body after infection. This causes major changes in the structure of epithelial tissue. Therefore, the papilloma virus causes characteristic laryngeal eruptions.

The human papillomavirus can successfully hide for a long period of time. The patient will not suspect that he was infected with this disease in previous intimate relationships or through the use of someone else's property. A small child can be infected at birth if his mother has the papilloma virus.

If an infected person has a strong immune system, the papilloma virus will not bother him for long. As soon as the body's defenses weaken, a painful rash appears on the body. This may include laryngeal squamous papilloma.

Papilloma in the throat, which is visible in detail in the photograph depicting the area affected by the virus, appears due to the influence of such factors on the body:

Long-term treatment with antibiotics;
Prolonged rhinitis;
Diseases of the endocrine system;
Avitaminosis;
Respiratory diseases;
Failure to comply with oral hygiene rules.

Papillomas in the throat and other places are caused by the human papillomavirus

The risk group for papillomas in the larynx includes children under 5 years of age and adults aged 20 to 40 years. The risk increases many times if a person constantly has promiscuous sexual relations and bad habits.

As a result of smoking, a large amount of harmful substances accumulates in the larynx. This may cause the patient to have problems with the evacuation function.

Tobacco smoke is very irritating to the mucous membrane, leaving it defenseless against viral attack.

In addition, doctors point out risk factors. For this reason, papilloma can grow in the throat:

Chronic tonsillitis;
pharyngitis and laryngitis;
pustular and acute otitis.

Doctors who study the nature of the origin and course of the human papillomavirus are convinced that stressful situations contribute to its development. In this condition, the immune system begins to weaken so that the viral infection is free to attack healthy cells.

Papillomas in the throat can be very dangerous because their tissues can degenerate into malignant cells. Cancer is much more difficult to treat.

Only patients who begin to fight cancer at an early stage can expect a cure.

In advanced cases, the patient’s body can only be kept in a normal state through temporary remission.

Why are they dangerous?

The human papillomavirus can survive a long incubation period. This condition is usually limited to a period of 2 to 5 months. This is one of the reasons why it is difficult to diagnose an infectious disease at an early stage.

Laryngeal papillomatosis in children and adults is very dangerous, since the rash caused by it can turn into malignant neoplasms. This outcome cannot be avoided if the patient does not follow the doctor's instructions, refuses treatment and hesitates to stop bad habits.

Another danger of the disease is that papillomas can recur. This is known to thousands of patients who are unsuccessfully trying to free themselves from pathology. Recurrent disease can lead to an increase in papillomas on the tongue, tonsils and throat. And this only increases the likelihood of cancer cell germination.

Laryngeal papillomatosis does not necessarily develop into cancer, but even benign growths are dangerous

Symptoms of growth of papillomas in the throat

Papillomatosis is difficult to detect because it shows no signs early in its development. This is thanks to the immune system, which can keep the disease at bay for some time.

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When the body loses its defenses, viruses accumulate in a certain place. This leads to laryngeal papillomatosis, which must be treated urgently.

In the affected area, the process of cell division is disrupted, which leads to their proliferation.

Small papillomas do not have any special symptoms. Certain problems are caused by fairly large rashes that are localized in the pharynx. Their development is usually accompanied by diseases such as dysphagia and dysphonia.

Large papillomas prevent a person from eating, drinking, speaking and breathing normally. He complains of wheezing and intermittent coughing throughout the day. Symptoms of a pathological process in the pharynx are complemented by swelling and inflammation of the tonsils.

The disease leads to the fusion of temples.

Papillomatosis of the larynx/vocal cords

When the laryngeal cords are infected with human papillomavirus, in addition to the appearance of neoplasms, people experience swelling and narrowing of the vocal cords. Some experts quite often confuse the external manifestation of human papillomavirus infection with diseases such as inflammation of the pharynx or bacterial laryngitis. Papillomavirus neoplasms on the laryngeal ligaments appear in the very initial stages of this disease. They have a base and a head, and in appearance the colony resembles a bunch of grapes. If identical growths are detected in the oral cavity, on the tonsils or on the larynx, specialists conduct a special study - microlaryngoscopy. The purpose of such an examination is to study the structure of the growths (it can be either fine-grained or finely lobed).

Symptoms of laryngeal papillomatosis

Hoarseness of voice up to complete loss of voice
difficulty breathing
asthma attacks (in severe cases)
cough
dyspnea

The main clinical sign of laryngeal papillomatosis is hoarseness and breathing problems. The severity of the disease is due to frequent relapses, which can lead to stenosis of the larynx, the possibility of spreading papillomas into the trachea and bronchi with the subsequent development of pulmonary failure and malignancy.

Symptoms of laryngeal papillomatosis are determined by the age of the patient, the location and extent of the tumors. In young children, diffuse forms are more often observed, while in older children, papillomas with a more limited localization (papillomatosis circumscripta) occur. In adults, papillomas on the vocal folds, characterized by hyperkeratosis, are more common.

The main symptom in both children and adults is increasing hoarseness of the voice, reaching complete aphonia. In children, breathing problems, shortness of breath during exercise, and other hypoxia symptoms simultaneously increase. The symptoms of dyspnea increase, laryngeal spasms, stridor and suffocation syndrome appear, in which, if emergency measures are not taken, the death of the child may occur.

In some cases, attacks of asphyxia occur suddenly during a banal intercurrent inflammatory disease of the larynx, which develops with concomitant swelling of the larynx. The smaller the child, the more dangerous these attacks are, which is due to the significant development of loose connective tissue in the subglottic space, the small size of the respiratory tract and the fact that in young children papillomatosis is diffuse and develops very quickly. All of these risk factors for asphyxia should be kept in mind when monitoring these children. In adults, attacks of suffocation are not observed, and the only symptom indicating the presence of a space-occupying formation in the glottis area is hoarseness of the voice.

Diagnosis of laryngeal papillomatosis The most commonly used diagnostic methods are:

Molecular and histological examination of biopsy using in situ hybridization and PCR methods
Direct laryngotracheoscopy: performed using special flexible endoscopic equipment
CT scan
Microlaryngoscopy
Microlaryngostroboscopy
Additional methods of primary and clarifying diagnostics are photodynamic endoscopic and autofluorescence studies, which make it possible to clearly determine the boundaries of tumor growth and identify hidden foci of papilloma.

Differential diagnosis

With microlaryngoscopy, the picture of papillomatosis is very characteristic - the formation has the appearance of limited, often multiple papillary growths with a fine-grained surface and resembles a mulberry in appearance. Its color depends on the presence of blood vessels, the thickness of the layer and keratinization of the epithelium, so papilloma can change color at different periods of its development from red, pale pink to white. Differential diagnosis is carried out with tuberculosis and laryngeal cancer. Signs of malignancy are ulceration of papillomas, changes in the vascular pattern, a sharp limitation of the mobility of the vocal fold in the absence of a scar process, submerged growth, keratosis. Difficulties in differential diagnosis are presented by papillomas in elderly patients and patients with a large number of surgical interventions in history. The final diagnosis is made by histological examination.

Causes

Infection of the upper respiratory tract with human papillomavirus infection can occur for the following reasons:

previous infectious or viral disease;
bad heredity;
decreased immunity;
tactile contact with a person who is a carrier of HPV;
mechanical damage to the larynx;
hormonal disorders;
prolonged contact with ultraviolet radiation, etc.

Prevention

Prevention of relapses involves regular visits to the doctor, strengthening the immune system, taking vitamins and natural immunostimulants (tinctures of echinacea, ginseng or eleutherococcus). Avoiding HPV infection helps avoid casual intimate relationships, use barrier methods of contraception, and observe personal hygiene rules. It is recommended to avoid increased stress on the vocal cords and to promptly eliminate diseases of the upper respiratory tract, digestive system and hearing organs.

When working in contaminated areas, personal protective equipment is used; during epidemics, special masks are worn. Smoking and drinking alcohol are completely avoided. The diet includes as many fresh vegetables and fruits as possible.

Symptoms

Human papillomavirus infection of the upper respiratory tract is usually accompanied by the following symptoms:

there is hoarseness in the voice;
papillomavirus tumors appear on the tonsils;
the process of sound transmission is disrupted (aphonia);
the gap (vocal gap) narrows;
stenosis is formed, etc.

In almost all cases of infection with papillomavirus of the upper respiratory tract, damage to the mucous membranes of the oral cavity is observed. Papillomas appear in this area, the diameter of which can reach 1 cm. Such papillomavirus neoplasms have a structure somewhat similar to a head of cauliflower and have a rough surface. The color of papilloma varies from pale pink to reddish. When palpating the tumor, patients do not experience pain.

Diagnostics

Laryngeal papillomatosis during laryngoscopy
Diagnosis of human papillomavirus infection begins with a personal examination of the patient who exhibits external manifestations of the disease. A specialist who has discovered a massive proliferation of papillomas in the upper respiratory tract can guess the type of infection based on their specific appearance. After this, he sends the patient for laboratory examination (biological material is collected and sent for histological examination). For many years, to detect human papillomavirus infection, experts have prescribed PCR (polymerase chain reaction) analysis to this category of patients. During laboratory testing, it is possible to identify either the RNA of the infectious agent or the DNA of the virus. This technique allows specialists to determine the type of disease with maximum accuracy and prescribe constructive treatment to patients.

Laryngeal papillomatosis is diagnosed in a medical facility using one of the following methods:

microlaryngostroboscopy;
laryngostroboscopy;
laryngoscopy;
microlaryngoscopy;
histology;
electroglottography;
radiography;
computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.

Treatment

At the moment, there is no unified international system for the treatment of laryngeal papillomatosis in children. However, it is clear that treatment must be comprehensive. Indicated for use in official medicine are the destruction of tumors using electric current, cryolaser, and cytostatic drugs. There are also methods for treating papillomas:

medicinal;
surgical;
folk

Indications for hospitalization

Indications for hospitalization are a sharp narrowing of the larynx or trachea, progression of chronic stenosis. But planned hospitalization is carried out to carry out surgical therapy.

Treatment Goals

The main goals of treatment are:

destruction of HPV in the patient’s body;
eliminating narrowing of the airways;
reducing the number of disease relapses;
stopping the spread of the process;
restoration of the functioning of the vocal cords.

Drug treatment

Treatment of this type is based on the prescription of antiviral drugs and immunostimulating drugs. The first type of drugs is used for prophylactic purposes to prevent the spread of papillomas and reduce the impact of HPV.

Traditional therapy involves the use of drugs such as arsenic, potassium iodide, burnt magnesia, inosine, trichloroacetic acid, podophyllin.

Surgical method of treatment

After removal of the papilloma, relapses are possible.
The most effective treatment option is surgery. There are different types of it:

extralaryngeal;
intralaryngeal.

If the extralaryngeal method is used, then tracheotomy, laryngotomy and destruction of growths are performed with further plastic surgery of the skin surface. This method does not protect against relapses, negatively affects the functioning of the vocal cords, and creates anatomical deformities.

Recently, the method of intralaryngeal removal of papillomas has become increasingly popular. This type of surgery is the most gentle and helps preserve the functioning of the vocal cords. It is performed through the pharynx using laryngoscopy.

Traditional methods of treatment

Traditional methods generally do not treat the disease, but try to prevent relapses. The most popular method is to lubricate the throat with the following means:

tincture of celandine;
garlic;
laundry soap.

Various herbal infusions are also taken orally, such as infusion of bay leaves, horseradish infusion, and licorice root infusion.

Therapy in children, pregnant women and breastfeeding

The decision to treat young mothers with laryngeal papillomatosis is made by the doctor.
Treatment of the disease in children follows the same methods as in adults. However, the otolaryngologist chooses the type of therapy based on the child’s age, skin condition, and the presence of other diseases. It is necessary to treat, because papillomas threaten the appearance of a large number of complications, even to the point of respiratory arrest.

The decision on the usefulness of therapy during pregnancy and lactation is made by the doctor for each patient individually. Under any conditions, the doctor advises the expectant mother to exclude those circumstances that could cause an exacerbation of papillomatosis. If therapy is carried out, trichloroacetic acid and physical methods of treatment are often used. It is recommended to use immunostimulants together with local treatment.

Classification of laryngeal papillomatosis (forms)

Human papillomavirus infection of the upper respiratory tract is usually accompanied by the proliferation of tumors, localized in the tonsils, trachea, larynx, tongue, etc. Such hyperplastic growths are dark red or white. Their structure can be of two types: soft (non-keratinizing) or hard (epidermoid). During histological examination of such neoplasms, it is possible to divide them into the following groups:

basal cell;
transitional cell;
squamous.

Papillomavirus neoplasms of the larynx are classified according to the source of infection and the age of the patient:

congenital;
acquired;
juvenile;
recurrent;
papillomatosis, which appears in patients of the older age group.

Based on the type of damage to the laryngeal mucosa, papilomatosis is divided into the following categories:

limited;
obstructive;
common.

Depending on the condition of the patient’s respiratory tract, papillomatosis is classified according to the following principle:

1st degree – compensatory (noises when inhaling, hoarseness):
2nd degree – decompensatory (blueness of the mucous membrane and skin, shortness of breath, cold sweat, rapid breathing);
3rd degree – asphyxia (dilated pupils, respiratory arrest, pale skin, slow heartbeat).

Classification

Depending on age and symptoms, there are 2 types of papillomas:

Respiratory papillomatosis in adults. The cause of infection is oral sex with a partner carrying the virus.
Respiratory papillomatosis in children. A child is rarely exposed to such a disease. The main reason is considered to be the mother who, before and during pregnancy, did not take care to eliminate the human papillomavirus from her body. The result was infection of the child through the birth canal.

Drug treatment

When treating human papillomavirus infection of the upper respiratory tract, specialists use various medicinal techniques. The main task that doctors set for themselves is to activate the patient’s immune system. Patients are prescribed drugs of the interferon group, in tablet form, for example, Viferon, Reaferon, Cycloferon or Interal. To combat human papillomavirus infection, the following drugs are used: Allokin-Alpha, Cidofovir or Acyclovir. To reduce the rate of human papillomavirus cell division, specialists prescribe chemotherapy drugs. These cytostatics (Vartek or Podofilin) can be used both externally and by injection.

To reduce the level of androgens in the body of patients, thereby slowing down the growth of human papillomavirus tumors, doctors carry out hormonal therapy (prescribed Proginva or Femoston). In parallel with drug therapy, traditional medicine recipes can be used, which are agreed upon with the attending physician. Currently, a conservative method of treating papillomavirus infection of the upper respiratory tract is also practiced. In this case, we are talking about antibiotics, which are prescribed after identifying bacterial flora (pathogenic). Antiseptic drugs are used to eliminate bacterial flora. If patients are not diagnosed with an infection, they are not prescribed antibacterial drugs to avoid the development of dysbacteriosis (which is a rather dangerous complication).

Treatment of laryngeal papillomatosis

Treatment Goals

Removing the main cause - the human papillomavirus - from the body.
Elimination of airway stenosis.
Reducing the number of disease relapses.
Preventing the spread of the process,
Restoring voice function.

Drug treatment

In recent years, medical non-surgical treatment of papillomatosis in children has increasingly been resorted to. The use of modern medications makes it possible to significantly lengthen the intervals between operations, and in some cases, to completely abandon surgical intervention. Moreover, the most aggressive forms of papillomatosis, which are poorly treated surgically, respond best to drug therapy.

Such successes became possible after the causative agent of the disease was isolated - the human papillomavirus , namely its certain varieties: types 6 and 11. Currently, interferons (interal, reaferon) are the most popular; medications are used that promote the body’s production of its own interferons (cycloferon, amixin, etc.). It has been established that interferons are an important component of antiviral immunity, and this explains their choice for the treatment of patients with laryngeal papillomatosis. The choice of another group of drugs—antiviral drugs—is also quite understandable, since the disease is of a viral nature. Antiviral drugs that are used to treat respiratory papillomatosis include cidofovir, acyclovir, etc. The relatively new antiviral drug Allokin-alpha has gained popularity.

Drugs that slow down cell proliferation—cytostatics—are also used. Since these are very potent substances (they are used in oncology), for the treatment of laryngeal papillomatosis in children they are used only topically: they are lubricated on the surface of the vocal folds after removal of papillomas or instead of surgical treatment. The most widely used for this purpose is podophyllin, a herbal preparation from a mixture of various compounds obtained from the rhizomes and roots of Podophyllum thyroid. Kalanchoe juice is also used to lubricate the vocal folds.

In recent years, a new group of drugs, so-called cytokine therapy, has found increasing use. Among the drugs in this group, roncoleukin is used for the treatment of respiratory papillomatosis.

An important role is played by the treatment of postoperative laryngitis - antibiotic therapy, local and general anti-inflammatory therapy. Local use of cytostatics, antiviral drugs and drugs that affect the level of estrogen metabolites, etc. is acceptable. Based on a study of the immune status, immunocorrection is carried out.

Surgical method for treating laryngeal papillomatosis

To remove papillomas use:

electrocoagulation (impact on education with electric current)
cryodestruction (destruction of formation using low temperatures)
ultrasonic disintegration (destruction of formation using high-intensity ultrasound)
argon plasma and CO2 laser coagulation (impact on formation with a laser beam)

But during the operation only papillomas are removed, the virus remains in the body.

The effect in the treatment of laryngeal papillomatosis can only be obtained by a reasonable combination of various methods. If you only deal with surgical removal of papillomas without antiviral therapy, the prospect of maintaining a more or less normal larynx, alas, is most likely unlikely.

Unfortunately, the most common means of helping a child with papillomatosis is currently surgical. The essence of the method is extremely simple: remove papillomatous growths and thereby create conditions for normal breathing. It is clear that surgical intervention does not have any therapeutic effect on the development of the disease itself.

Therefore, it is not surprising that operations to remove laryngeal papillomas are performed on children several times: sometimes five, ten, and even more than two dozen! In addition, surgical treatment of laryngeal papillomatosis in children is always associated with additional tissue trauma and leads to two equally unpleasant consequences: firstly, the operation often activates the growth of new papillomas, and secondly, it always causes the formation of scar tissue, which further worsens the voice and breathing.

Therefore, whenever possible, doctors try to use more gentle methods of treating laryngeal papillomatosis. For example, laser surgery, which causes significantly less trauma to the larynx. An effective method of photodynamic therapy has been developed, when a special substance, a photosensitizer, is injected intravenously, and then the surface of papillomatously changed areas of the larynx is illuminated with light of a certain frequency. These methods are used in the clinic of ENT diseases of the St. Petersburg Medical University named after academician I.P. Pavlova.

Surgical treatment

If drug treatment for papillomatosis of the upper respiratory tract does not bring the desired result, doctors perform surgical removal of the growths. Currently, there are a large number of ways by which papillomavirus tumors can be eliminated without damaging nearby tissues and mucous membranes:

laser removal;
exposure to radio waves;
cauterization (larinofissure);
electrocoagulation;
cryodestruction;
use of microdebrider;
coblation (exposure to cold plasma);
ultrasonic disintegration, etc.

Removal

Surgical removal of papillomavirus tumors localized in the upper respiratory tract is carried out if malignancy is suspected. A specialist uses a scalpel to cut off the growths and submit them for histological examination. If during the study of biological material cancer cells are identified, the patient is prescribed special (complex and lengthy) treatment.

The most effective method for removing papillomas from the larynx today is surgery using a surgical laser. With its help you can cut off growths even in the most difficult to reach places. When removing papillomas using a surgical scalpel, a specialist can use both extralaryngeal and intralaryngeal techniques.

Complications and consequences

Human papillomavirus infection of the upper respiratory tract can remain in the human body for about 10 years and not manifest itself in any way. In the presence of provoking factors, HPV begins to progress in an aggressive (clinical symptoms gradually increase) or non-aggressive form. Modern medicine classifies laryngeal papillomatosis as a precancerous condition, since in 20% of cases malignancy of the tumors is observed. That is why the disease requires timely treatment and constant monitoring.

Clinical picture ↑

In both children and adults, at the initial stage, laryngeal papillomatosis may not manifest itself in any way. Symptoms occur if papillomas are located near the vocal cords and interfere with their functional purpose, or when the process is widespread. The following symptoms of pathology are possible:

causeless hoarseness, hoarseness of voice, which occurs as a result of hyperkeratosis of the vocal cords;
dysphagia, sometimes aphonia as a result of a very advanced process;
respiratory dysfunction, manifested in whistling or hoarse breathing, shortness of breath;
attacks of suffocation, especially after physical exertion;
coughing attacks, tickling sensation;
sensation of a foreign body in the throat, difficulty swallowing food, water and even saliva;
hemoptysis when the integrity of the blood vessels on papillomas is violated.

As a rule, the disease begins with a single formation, but soon laryngeal papilloma quickly spreads throughout the mucous membrane, forming more and more new nodules.

Prevention of papillomatosis of the upper respiratory tract and prognosis

To protect your body from the penetration of human papillomavirus infection, people need to regularly carry out a set of measures:

timely treatment of viral and infectious diseases that affect the upper respiratory tract;
normalization of nasal breathing;
physical education;
strengthening the immune system;
introduction of fruits high in vitamin C into the daily diet;
hardening of the body;
undergoing preventive examinations;
giving up all bad habits;
healthy eating, etc.

If the treatment of human papillomavirus infection in a child was carried out in full, and the patient did not violate the instructions of the attending physician, then the prognosis for him is very favorable, even with frequent relapses. In patients of the older age group, papillomavirus tumors can degenerate into sarcoma or cancer. For this category of patients, the prognosis will depend on the complication of the disease, and not on its primary manifestation. After undergoing radiation therapy or tracheostomy, the prognosis becomes worse. In rare cases, patients manage to restore voice functions.

Papillomatosis of the throat

When a patient is infected with papillomavirus, this infection can be localized in the throat, where it manifests itself in the form of benign neoplasms. Papillomas are attached to the mucous membrane by their stalk, which can be thin or wide. The body of the growth is covered with a layer of epithelium, under which there is a base (submucosa). The cause of the appearance of papillomavirus tumors in a person’s throat can be sexual, tactile or perinatal contact with an HPV carrier. Children of the younger age group (up to 5 years) and women and men whose age ranges from 20 to 40 years can be considered at risk of developing papillomatosis of the throat. The provoking factors for the appearance of HPV are:

abuse of bad habits;
promiscuous sexual intercourse;
immunosuppression;
lack of hygiene;
various diseases of the upper respiratory tract, etc.

Causes of pathology

Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV). Respiratory or laryngeal papillomatosis is caused mainly (in 80-100% of cases) by papillomaviruses type 11 (less often type 6).

These are viruses with oncogenic DNA that stimulate the proliferation of epithelial cells of the basal layer of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract with the formation of papillomatous growths. Laryngeal papillomatosis occurs most often in adult men and in children of the first years of life.

The IF virus is very common.

The cause of tumor growth in the respiratory tract is the human papillomavirus. Most often, genotypes 6 and 11 of the virus are detected in the tissues of removed elements.

There are 2 types of transmission of the virus:

Sexual contacts.

Evidence shows that HPV is primarily transmitted through sexual contact. Oral sex is the reason for the increasing prevalence of HPV infection of the tonsils.

The risk of infection increases with the number of sexual partners for any type of sexual behavior (ie, vaginal sex, oral sex). With 20 or more sexual partners in a lifetime, the prevalence of oral HPV infection reaches 20%.

Smokers are at greater risk than non-smokers.

Household transmission.

Based on the collection of data, the doctor determines the method of infection of the patient. To do this, he evaluates:

symptoms of the disease;
where is papilloma located in the throat;
area of mucosal damage;
patient's age.

Papilloma in the throat in children under 5 years of age develops during perinatal infection, less often with respiratory diseases. Adults become ill due to sexual transmission of HPV; in this case, the lesions are minor (single papillomas).

Factors that can provoke the formation of HPV are:

chronic inflammatory processes in the throat, nose, ears;
in children: measles, scarlet fever;
dependence on alcohol and smoking;
decrease in the body's defenses.

In the throat, papilloma is a benign formation. The disease most affects children from 2 to 5 years old and women from 20 to 40 years old.

The main cause of its appearance is the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is mainly acquired due to poor personal hygiene.

It is important to understand: if a pregnant woman is infected with the virus, she will even pass it on to her unborn child.

Medicine cannot completely cure the disease, but it will not be difficult to control it.

Also, the causes of the disease may be:

infectious childhood diseases;
chronic diseases;
smoking, drugs;
promiscuous and unprotected sexual intercourse;
infectious pathologies;
unbalanced diet.

Frequent visits to swimming pools, public saunas and baths can lead to the appearance of papillomas. If the size is too large, it may cause suffocation.

Tonsil papillomatosis

Human papillomavirus tumors on the tonsils in most cases cause discomfort to patients when eating or swallowing (in rare cases they cause pain). It is forbidden to tear off or cut off such growths yourself, as you may face serious consequences. If papillomavirus manifestations are detected on the tonsils, you should contact a medical institution for consultation. The specialist will determine the type of tumor and select an effective treatment method. If indicated, patients can have their tonsils removed. To prevent the appearance of papillomas, it is recommended to harden yourself, not drink too cold drinks and avoid drafts.

Papillomatosis on the tongue

External manifestations of human papillomavirus infection can be observed in different areas of the skin and mucous membranes, which are especially susceptible to injury. In many patients, human papillomavirus tumors are localized in the oral cavity, namely on the tongue. These growths can be painful and cause discomfort when eating. Sometimes they bleed, and with frequent mechanical stress they greatly increase in size and number.

The reasons for the appearance of human papillomavirus tumors on the tongue include HPV strains 1, 3, 2, 18, 16. Infection of this category of patients can occur either during contact with household objects, or through tactile contact with people who are carriers of the virus. Children in most cases become infected with this virus due to poor personal hygiene (they put everything in their mouth to taste it). After the DNA of the papillomavirus penetrates the human body, the infection remains dormant and does not manifest itself in any way until favorable conditions arise: immunity decreases.

Pathogenesis of laryngeal papillomatosis

The disease is characterized by a rapid course, a tendency to relapse, often accompanied by stenosis of the lumen of the larynx. In adults, papilloma develops at 20-30 years of age or in old age. The frequent development of relapses forces repeated surgical interventions, and therefore, in most cases, patients develop cicatricial deformities of the larynx, sometimes leading to a narrowing of its lumen and deterioration of vocal function. Children may develop bronchopneumonia, and the spread of papillomas to the trachea is diagnosed in 17-26% of cases, and to the bronchi and lungs in 5% of cases. The latter is considered an unfavorable prognostic sign for malignancy. The disease is accompanied by a decrease in general and local immunity, a violation of its humoral component, and changes in hormonal and metabolic status.

Papillomatosis in the throat in children

Human papillomavirus infection, which is localized in the throat, is a very serious disease that is especially difficult for young patients to tolerate. In children, HPV causes disorders of vocal and respiratory functions. During a relapse of the disease in the throat of children infected with papillomavirus, there is an active growth of growths that affect large areas of the larynx (such growths can also be seen on the trachea). If the patient does not receive timely medical care and does not undergo comprehensive treatment, the HPV virus can pose a threat not only to his health, but also to his life.

As for the causes of laryngeal papillomatosis, any infectious disease that occurs in an acute form can be distinguished. The papilloma virus, which manifests itself in the throat, can most often be found in children of the younger age group (from 1.5 to 5 years). In most cases it is accompanied by the following symptoms:

hoarseness;
respiratory dysfunction;
narrowing of the glottis;
cough;
increased fatigue;
discomfort during swallowing, etc.

Papilloma in the throat: removal of papilloma in the larynx

Skin lesions are fairly common manifestations of active human papillomavirus. But not everyone believes that the virus can easily settle on mucous membranes.

Evidence of this is papillomas in the throat, which can be diagnosed in both adults and young patients.

How does the virus enter the body?

Almost all dermatologists say that the disease is mainly transmitted through sexual contact. However, this does not mean that everyone who has only one healthy partner is protected from HPV. Then why are laryngeal papilloma diagnosed in children?

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Promiscuous sexual intercourse is certainly one of the main ways of transmitting the virus. However, there are other ways to become infected:

home contact. If children and adults in the family use the same towels, washcloths and bedding, the risk of infection is very high.
Vertical. A child can become infected with HPV from the mother along the way through the birth canal. When the virus settles in this way, papillomas appear on the face and on the mucous membranes of the oropharynx.
Autoinfection. This route of infection causes the active virus to settle on healthy skin or mucous membranes.

How the disease develops

Papillomas on the skin and mucous membranes are caused by HPV. What is HPV? This is a group of viruses that provoke various overgrowths. As soon as they enter the human body, they do not immediately begin to have an active effect. Firstly, the human immune system copes with the pathogen and weakens it.

When the protective function weakens, the virus begins to actively act on cells that grow, multiply and form growth. For these reasons, the immune system may be compromised:

Having bad habits.
Common cold.
Damage to the mucous membranes of the oropharynx (hot drinks, chemicals).
Hormonal disorders.
Frequent nervous breakdowns.

To prevent the development of papillomas in the throat or in another part of the person, provoking factors must be completely eliminated.

Symptoms

If the papillomas in the larynx are recent and small, there are no signs of the disease. However, as soon as they intensify, the first symptoms appear. You have to listen to your body. If the same symptom occurs regularly, consult an ENT specialist immediately.

The clinical picture is as follows:

Constantly unacceptable cough.
Unpleasant feeling in the throat, as if something is stuck in the throat.
Difficulty swallowing food.
Difficulty breathing.
Loss of voice or no voice.
Common angina and other breathing problems.

If you have papillomas in the throat, the symptoms of which are already quite vivid, you should consult a doctor. Do not wait long and do not treat development with popular remedies.

Location and appearance

Adults, both men and women, usually have solitary tumors. This means one or more individual papillomas that look like a pea or small papilla on one leg.

Papillomas in the child’s throat grow and look like cabbage patches. There are many of them, because during eating the tumor is often injured and self-infection occurs. Babies' immune systems still don't function well because the virus isn't able to fight it off.

Papilloma in a child’s throat is also dangerous, as it can easily block the airways, since the opening is very small. The result may be the child's death from suffocation.

Growth may occur:

on the back of the throat;
glands and their temples;
soft sky;

What to do after removal in the throat

After papillomavirus growths have been removed from the upper respiratory tract (by any method), patients must strictly follow all the instructions of their attending physicians:

refuse hot drinks and food for a while;
do not lift heavy objects;
carry out sanitary treatment of the oral cavity;
strengthen the immune system, etc.

After completing rehabilitation, the patient will be able to lead a normal lifestyle, observing precautions and regularly carrying out preventive measures. If the disease relapses, he will need to contact his doctor for consultation and further therapy.

Laryngeal papillomatosis before and after surgery: video