Home » Laryngeal Papilloma Removal

What is Laryngeal Papilloma Removal?

Laryngeal papilloma removal is a surgical procedure to excise benign growths (papillomas) on the larynx or vocal cords, typically caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11. It’s performed to relieve hoarseness, breathing difficulties, or voice changes, often in children or adults with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). In India, this surgery is conducted in ENT departments at hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Medanta, and AIIMS, often at affordable costs. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and FAQs is essential for patients.

Why do you need Laryngeal Papilloma Removal?

Laryngeal papilloma removal is indicated for:

  • Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP):
    • Benign papillomas on the larynx, vocal cords, or trachea, caused by HPV.
    • Symptoms: Hoarseness, weak cry (in children), breathing difficulty (stridor), or chronic cough.
  • Obstructive symptoms:
    • Airway narrowing, especially in children (juvenile-onset RRP, most common at ages 2–4).
  • Voice changes:
    • Persistent hoarseness or voice loss in adults (adult-onset RRP, often ages 20–40).
  • Recurrence:
    • Papillomas often recur (every few months to years); multiple surgeries may be needed.

The procedure aims to remove papillomas, improve voice and breathing, and minimize airway obstruction while preserving vocal cord function, though recurrence is common due to the viral nature of the condition.

Why Do Laryngeal Papilloma Removal Costs Vary in India?

Costs range from ₹30,000 to ₹1 lakh :

  • Procedure Complexity: Simple removal (₹30,000–₹50,000); laser or extensive surgery (₹50,000–₹1 lakh).
  • Hospital/Location: Higher in metro cities (Apollo, Fortis: ₹50,000–₹1 lakh); lower in government hospitals (AIIMS: ₹10,000–₹30,000, often subsidized under Ayushman Bharat).
  • Surgeon’s Expertise: Experienced ENT surgeons charge more.
  • Additional Costs: Anesthesia (₹5,000–₹15,000), hospital stay (₹5,000–₹10,000/day), medications (₹1,000–₹3,000), cidofovir (₹5,000–₹10,000 if used).
  • Insurance: Covered for functional issues (e.g., breathing, voice); confirm with your provider.

Laryngeal Papilloma Removal Procedure

  • Before Surgery Evaluation:
    • Diagnosis:
      • Laryngoscopy: Flexible or rigid scope visualizes papillomas on vocal cords or larynx.
      • Biopsy (if needed): Confirms benign nature (rules out malignancy, rare in RRP).
      • CT scan: Assesses extent of disease if spread to trachea or lungs (rare).
      • Blood tests: Blood sugar, clotting profile.
    • Medications: Stop blood thinners (e.g., aspirin) 5–7 days prior if safe.
    • Consent: Risks, including voice changes, are explained.
  • Surgical Techniques:
    • Laryngeal Papilloma Removal:
      • Performed under general anesthesia, lasting 30–60 minutes.
      • Microlaryngoscopy: A rigid laryngoscope is inserted through the mouth to access the larynx.
      • Papilloma removal:
        • Microdebrider: Shaves papillomas with precision.
        • CO2 laser: Vaporizes papillomas, minimizing bleeding (used in advanced centers).
        • Cold instruments: Microforceps or scissors excise growths (traditional method).
      • Adjuvant therapy (if needed): Intralesional cidofovir injection (antiviral) to reduce recurrence (used in severe cases).
      • Bleeding controlled with cautery or hemostatic agents; no stitches required.
    • Intraoperative Tools:
      • Laryngoscope: Provides access to larynx.
      • Microdebrider/CO2 laser: Removes papillomas.
      • Microscope: Enhances precision during surgery.
  • After Surgery:
    • Hospital stay: Same-day discharge or 1 day.
    • Care: Voice rest for 3–7 days (no speaking, whispering); humidified air to soothe throat.
    • Pain management: Mild to moderate throat pain for 3–5 days; managed with acetaminophen.
    • Instructions: Soft diet for 2–3 days; avoid irritants (e.g., smoking, spicy foods) for 1–2 weeks.

Recovery After Laryngeal Papilloma Removal

  1. Hospital Stay: Same-day discharge or 1 day.
  2. Post-Surgery Care:
    • Pain: Mild to moderate throat soreness for 3–5 days; managed with medication.
    • Voice: Hoarseness improves in 1–2 weeks; full voice recovery in 2–4 weeks with voice rest.
    • Breathing: Stridor or breathing difficulty resolves in 1–3 days if airway was obstructed.
    • Diet: Soft, cool foods (e.g., yogurt) for 2–3 days; avoid hot/spicy foods for 1 week.
    • Activity: Rest for 1–2 days; avoid shouting or heavy activity for 2 weeks.
  3. Follow-Up:
    • Visits at 1 week, 1 month, and as needed to monitor recurrence.
    • Laryngoscopy: At 1 month to check healing and regrowth (papillomas recur in 50–70% within 1–2 years).

Most resume normal activities in 3–5 days; full recovery takes 2–4 weeks. Success rate: 90–95% achieve symptom relief per surgery; recurrence is common (50–70% need repeat procedures).

Risks and Complications

  • Surgical Risks:
    • Bleeding (1–2%): Minor intraoral bleeding; severe bleeding rare, may need cauterization.
    • Infection (1–2%): Throat or larynx infection; treated with antibiotics.
    • Anesthesia risks (<1%): Reaction to general anesthesia; rare in healthy patients.
  • Post-Surgery:
    • Voice changes (2–5%): Scarring on vocal cords may cause hoarseness; managed with voice therapy.
    • Airway swelling (1–3%): Temporary stridor; may need steroids or observation.
    • Recurrence (50–70%): Papillomas often regrow due to HPV; may need repeat surgery or adjuvant therapy.
    • Laryngeal webbing (<1%): Scar tissue between vocal cords; needs surgical correction.
  • Long-Term:
    • Malignant transformation (<1%): Papillomas can rarely turn cancerous (esp. in adults with HPV 11); needs monitoring.

Report breathing difficulty, severe pain, fever, or persistent hoarseness promptly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What causes laryngeal papillomas?

Human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11, often contracted at birth (children) or sexually (adults).

Can I avoid laryngeal papilloma removal?

No, if symptomatic (breathing issues, voice loss); surgery is necessary to prevent airway obstruction.

Is laryngeal papilloma removal painful?

Mild to moderate throat pain for 3–5 days, managed with medication; discomfort reduces in 1 week.

How soon can I resume activities?

Normal activities: 3–5 days; speaking: 1 week (after voice rest); full recovery: 2–4 weeks.

Is laryngeal papilloma removal covered by insurance in India?

Yes, for functional issues; confirm with your provider.

Signs of complications?

Breathing difficulty, severe pain, fever, or persistent hoarseness.

Will the papillomas come back after surgery?

50–70% recur within 1–2 years due to HPV; regular monitoring and repeat surgeries may be needed.

Lifestyle changes post-surgery?

Voice rest for 3–7 days, avoid irritants (e.g., smoking), humidify air, and attend follow-ups for recurrence checks.

Conclusion

Laryngeal papilloma removal is an effective procedure to relieve voice and breathing issues caused by papillomas, with a high success rate per surgery, though recurrence is common due to HPV. India’s top hospitals (Apollo, Fortis, AIIMS) provide affordable care, often covered by insurance. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and FAQs helps patients approach treatment confidently. Consult an ENT surgeon for personalized guidance.

Looking for Best Hospitals for Laryngeal Papilloma Removal

Note: we are not promoting any hospitals

we are not promoting any hospitals we sourced all the details from google and hospitals website, please verify and start with your surgery here we go the list includes government, budget and superspeciality hospitals accreditation bodies are the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and the Joint Commission International (JCI)

  • click on your city and schedule your surgery now done in good hands.
City Minimum Price (₹) Maximum Price (₹)
Agra
40,000
1,00,000
Ahmedabad
50,000
1,20,000
Ajmer
40,000
1,00,000
Aligarh
40,000
1,00,000
Allahabad
40,000
1,00,000
Amritsar
45,000
1,10,000
Aurangabad
45,000
1,10,000
Bangalore
50,000
1,20,000
Bareilly
40,000
1,00,000
Belgaum
45,000
1,10,000
Bhopal
45,000
1,10,000
Bhubaneswar
45,000
1,10,000
Bikaner
40,000
1,00,000
Chandigarh
50,000
1,20,000
Chennai
50,000
1,20,000
Coimbatore
50,000
1,20,000
Dehradun
45,000
1,10,000
Delhi
50,000
1,20,000
Dhanbad
40,000
1,00,000
Durgapur
40,000
1,00,000
Faridabad
50,000
1,20,000
Ghaziabad
50,000
1,20,000
Gorakhpur
40,000
1,00,000
Guntur
45,000
1,10,000
Gurgaon
50,000
1,20,000
Guwahati
45,000
1,10,000
Gwalior
40,000
1,00,000
Hyderabad
50,000
1,20,000
Indore
45,000
1,10,000
Jabalpur
40,000
1,00,000
Jaipur
50,000
1,20,000
Jalandhar
45,000
1,10,000
Jamshedpur
45,000
1,10,000
Jodhpur
40,000
1,00,000
Kanpur
40,000
1,00,000
Kochi
50,000
1,20,000
Kolkata
50,000
1,20,000
Kollam
45,000
1,10,000
Lucknow
45,000
1,10,000
Ludhiana
50,000
1,20,000
Madurai
45,000
1,10,000
Mangalore
45,000
1,10,000
Meerut
40,000
1,00,000
Moradabad
40,000
1,00,000
Mumbai
50,000
1,20,000
Mysore
50,000
1,20,000
Nagpur
45,000
1,10,000
Nashik
45,000
1,10,000
Navi Mumbai
50,000
1,20,000
Noida
50,000
1,20,000
Patna
40,000
1,00,000
Pune
50,000
1,20,000
Raipur
45,000
1,10,000
Rajkot
45,000
1,10,000
Ranchi
40,000
1,00,000
Surat
50,000
1,20,000
Thane
50,000
1,20,000
Vadodara
45,000
1,10,000
Varanasi
40,000
1,00,000
Visakhapatnam
45,000
1,10,000

Disclaimer

This information is sourced from open platforms and is for general awareness only. Costs may vary based on individual cases. Please consult a qualified doctor for medical advice and explore options within your budget before deciding on the procedure.

Scroll to Top