Chest, Vol 92, 132-136, Copyright © 1987 by American College of Chest Physicians

ARTICLES

Bronchial papillomas of various origins

P Barzo, L Molnar and K Minik

There were five cases of solitary papillomas and three of chronic infectious papillomatosis induced by a foreign body, one caused by broncholithiasis. The five isolated papillomas had verrucous appearances. The common opinion, that the solitary papilloma is likely to be a pedunculary tumor, seems untrue. Squamous or cylindric epithelium covering the same tumor may vary from region to region. We believe that multiple polyps caused by inhalation of hot, burning, and corrosive gases are of inflammatory origin. Once the causative factor (eg, a late diagnosed foreign body) is removed, the inflammatory papillomatosis may resolve spontaneously. After the removal of a benign papilloma, recurrence is usually caused by lack of operative radicality rather than by malignancy. Laser technique and other coagulation methods make it possible to remove most tumors by performing bronchoscopy with only little risk. Papillomas showing the signs of atypia and peribronchial spreading require later surgery.