Esophageal squamous papilloma (ESP) is an uncommon epithelial lesion most typically observed in adults, with an unknown cause and scant paediatric evidence. The goal of this study was to offer an estimated prevalence of this lesion in our paediatric community, as well as to discover any demographic, clinical, or pathologic associations—including human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, which has been connected to ESP in adult literature. A retrospective search of all esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGDs) done in children under the age of 18 at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital yielded ESP cases. Histopathology results, including Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) for HPV, were reviewed, as did a thorough chart review for demographic data. Of the 12,459 children who needed an EGD, 10 were found to have ESP on biopsy, ranging in age from 2 to 17 years. This results in an estimated prevalence of 0.08 percent during the entire study period. Seventy percent of patients had an endoscopy for gastrointestinal pain, and 40% had gastroesophageal reflux. Notably, FISH investigation revealed that none of the lesions tested positive for HPV.
ESP is a rare benign lesion detected in the paediatric population by chance. At our institution, the prevalence was 0.08 percent. FISH analysis revealed that all samples tested negative for HPV. As a result, routine HPV testing in paediatric patients with ESP may be unnecessary in the future.
