Study of wound healing in rats treated with topical and injected mitomycin C.
OBJECTIVE
Mitomycin C, a widely used chemotherapeutic drug, has been proposed as a potential adjuvant for the control of scar tissue in surgical wounds because of its capacity to inhibit fibroblast proliferation. The current study used a combination of topical and injected mitomycin C to slow the healing process of surgical wounds in rats.


METHODS
An experimental model of surgical wounding at the dorsum of rats was used. A total of 43 animals were subdivided into 3 groups: control, topical mitomycin C, and a combination of topical treatment and intradermal injections of the drug at 30 and 60 days after the initial topical treatment. After 3 months, the animals were painlessly sacrificed and the surgical scars were removed for microscopic analysis.


RESULTS
The group that received only topical mitomycin C presented milder inflammatory signs and consequently had a less intense healing process than the control group. The group treated with a combination of both topical and injected mitomycin C presented results comparable to those of the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The toxic characteristics of mitomycin C were most likely responsible for the greater tissue damage that occurred when it was used in the injected form, causing increased scar tissue formation. Mitomycin C slows the healing process of surgical wounds when used topically, but causes enhanced scar tissue formation when injected.
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
Vianna
Maria Regina
MR
Eckley
Claudia A
CA
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007271:Injections, Intradermal; D008297:Male; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D016685:Mitomycin