Laryngeal Papillomatosis Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms of Laryngeal Papillomatosis (Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis)?

Normally, voice is produced when air from the lungs is pushed past two side-by-side elastic muscles - called vocal folds or vocal cords - with sufficient pressure to cause them to vibrate. When the tumors interfere with the normal vibrations of the vocal folds, it causes hoarseness, which is the most common symptom of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). Eventually, the tumors may block the airway passage and cause difficulty breathing.

Because the tumors grow quickly, young children with the disease may find it difficult to breathe when sleeping, or they may experience difficulty swallowing. Adults and children may experience hoarseness, chronic coughing, or breathing problems. The symptoms tend to be more severe in children than in adults; however, some children experience some relief or remission of the disease when they begin puberty. Because of the similarity of the symptoms, recurrent respiratory papillomatosis is sometimes misdiagnosed as asthma or chronic bronchitis.

SOURCE: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis or Laryngeal Papillomatosis.