Clinical and histological healing of surgical wounds treated with mitomycin C.
OBJECTIVE
The proven ability of mitomycin C to inhibit fibroblasts in vitro has stimulated its use in research animals and in humans to control healing. The objective of the study was to follow the healing process of surgical wounds in the dorsum of rats treated topically with mitomycin C.


METHODS
Prospective experimental study.


METHODS
Two distinct surgical wounds were made to the dorsum of 10 adult rats. One of the wounds received topical mitomycin C diluted at 0.5 mg/mL during a 5-minute period, and the other wound was used as a control. The healing process was followed clinically and histologically after the rats were killed at different post-treatment periods. The degree of fibrosis was evaluated histologically by two different pathologists.


RESULTS
Surgical wounds treated with mitomycin C presented delayed healing when compared with the untreated wounds, with remission of scabs 7 days after the control wounds. Histological analysis at 1 month after treatment revealed a significant reduction in fibrosis of the wounds treated with mitomycin C when compared with the untreated wounds. After the third month the degree of fibrosis was comparable in both wounds.


CONCLUSIONS
Topical mitomycin C delays the healing of surgical wounds in rats up to the fourth week following treatment, but the degree of fibrosis is comparable in both treated and untreated wounds after 12 weeks. In otolaryngology this characteristic of the drug may be useful in the treatment of external ear canal stenosis, choanal atresias, nasal cicatricial stenosis, laryngeal stenosis, and keloids.
Ribeiro
Fernando de Andrade Quintanilha
Fde A
Department of Otolaryngology, Santa Casa School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
Guaraldo
Lusiele
L
Borges
Janaina de Pádua
Jde P
Zacchi
Flávia Fernanades Silva
FF
Eckley
Claudia A
CA
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D005355:Fibrosis; D008297:Male; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D016685:Mitomycin