Effect of topical mitomycin C on the healing of surgical and laser wounds: a hint on clinical application.
OBJECTIVE
Mitomycin C (MMC) is used in otolaryngological surgery to reduce complications from postoperative scarring. However, the effects of MMC on wound healing at different doses and on different wound types have not been fully described. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of topical MMC at 2 different doses on the healing of surgical and laser wounds.


METHODS
This was a randomized study using 20 rabbits. Six full-thickness wounds were made by excision or laser vaporization on the flank skin. The wounds were randomly treated by topical MMC of 0.4 or 1.0 mg/mL or saline for 5 minutes.


RESULTS
Re-epithelialization and contraction of the original wounds were significantly delayed by the use of MMC (P < 0.01). The delayed healing effect of MMC was more prominent in the laser wounds than in the excision wounds. MMC inhibited collagen deposition and fibroblast proliferation of wounds on histological analysis. The 2 different concentrations of MMC showed no difference in gross or histological wound healing characteristics.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results showed that MMC delays the healing of wounds as a result of the inhibition of fibrosis, especially for laser wounds.
Roh
Jong-Lyel
JL
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Cancer Research Institute, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea. rohjl@cnu.ac.kr
Koo
Bon Seok
BS
Yoon
Yeo-Hoon
YH
Rha
Ki Sang
KS
Park
Chan Il
CI
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000473:pathology; D053685:Laser Therapy; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; D016685:Mitomycin