ABSTRACT
Papillomatosis of the trachea, bronchi and lungs was investigated in 40 children with papillomatosis of the lower airways in comparison with 408 children with laryngeal papullomatosis. All the patients were operated in 1988-2003 with histological verification of the diagnosis. Papillomas involved the lower airways because of tracheotomy (92.5%) or tracheal intubation (7.5%). Papillomatosis of the lower airways runs a more aggressive course than laryngeal papillomatosis, its treatment efficacy is worse. All the patients suffering from laryngeal papillomatosis with a history of tracheotomy need a regular endoscopic and x-ray control as papillomatosis of the trachea and/or lungs may develop in them several years after decanulation. Pulmonary papillomatosis has an invariably poor prognosis.
