ABSTRACT
Juvenile respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) was first described by Morrell Mackenzie in 1880. Juvenile-onset RRP (JORRP) is an uncommon condition, with a prevalence of only 4 in 100 000 children. The often quoted triad of susceptibility factors for JORRP – young mother, vaginal delivery and low maternal socioeconomic status – is of limited predictive usefulness. The diagnosis requires the surgeon to have an awareness of the condition as the presenting symptoms can be variable and mimic many common laryngeal and respiratory pathologies in children. The aim of surgical treatment is the removal of papillomas and restoration of a safe and patent airway while minimizing trauma to the mucosa and vocal cords. Although there are numerous papers on the various treatment on options for JORRP, there are limited data on the vocal outcomes of these patients. The majority of data are based on adult onset RRP looking at voice both due to the papillomas themselves and the resultant morbidity of surgical procedures.
