Aigerim Mashekova

Background. Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) in children remains a pressing issue in pediatric otolaryngology, characterized by a chronic course, frequent relapses, and the need for repeat surgical interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the surgical technique used for primary removal of pediatric RRP—CO₂ laser, microdebrider, or a combined approach—was associated with clinically documented recurrence and early recurrence within 12 months. Materials and Methods. A retrospective study of 53 medical records of children who underwent their first surgery for RRP between 2019 and 2023 was conducted. Three surgical approaches were used: CO₂ laser, microdebrider, and a combined method. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson’s χ² test, and the strength of association was evaluated with Cramér’s V. Results. The most frequently used method was the CO₂ laser (n = 25), followed by a microdebrider (n = 16), and a combined method (n = 12). During the observation period, disease recurrence was recorded in 35 of 53 patients (66.0%): in 20 children, within the first 12 months after surgery, and in 15, after more than 12 months. No recurrence was documented in the available medical records for 18 patients during the observation period. No statistically significant effect of the surgical treatment method on the recurrence rate (p = 0.813) or the risk of early recurrence (p = 0.926) was found. Also, no significant association was found between the child’s age and either the overall recurrence rate (p = 0.510) or the likelihood of early recurrence (p = 0.217). Conclusions. Within the limitations of this retrospective single-center study, neither the surgical treatment method nor the patient’s age was associated with clinically documented recurrence or early recurrence recorded in the available medical records.

Background. Post-intubation cicatricial laryngeal stenosis (PICLS) represents one of the most severe long-term complications of pediatric airway management. By systematically analyzing clinical and procedural variables across different grades of PICLS, this study addresses a critical gap in pediatric airway research and provides clinically relevant descriptive data on stenosis severity. Materials and methods. A retrospective single-center case-series study was conducted and included pediatric patients (0–18 years) treated for PICLS at a tertiary referral pediatric otolaryngology center between 2016 and 2024. Spearman correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate possible associations between clinical factors and stenosis grade. Results. Among 172 children with PICLS, severe forms of stenosis (Grades 3–4) were observed in 37.2%, with predominant subglottic localization (85.3%). Age at primary intubation (p = 0.02) and the type of intubation (emergency/elective; p = 0.04) were the only variables significantly associated with stenosis severity in this cohort, whereas sex, reintubation, comorbidities, and delivery-related factors showed no significant associations. Mild stenosis (Grades 1–2) more frequently followed intubation for elective surgery and infections, whereas severe stenosis was more commonly associated with intubation due to central nervous system pathology and infections. Conclusions. Age at primary intubation and the type of intubation (emergency/elective) were associated with stenosis severity in this cohort. These findings should be interpreted in light of the retrospective case-series design and the absence of a control group, but they may contribute to improved clinical characterization of PICLS severity in children.