Local scar adhesion after laminectomy always challenges the worldwide scholars engaged in spine surgery.

Mitomycin C, a classical anti-tumor drug, has been used to effectively inhibit scar adhesion after laminectomy and some encouraging outcomes have been achieved.

However, there is evidence that mitomycin C has inherent toxicity and other side effects when it is used locally.

Whether mitomycin C can influence peripheral nerve structure and function remains unclear.

Dr. Tao Sui and his team, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China reported that mitomycin C, at 0.7 mg/mL, did not produce an obvious effect on peripheral nerve function, and mitomycin C at 0.1-0.5 mg/mL did not damage the structure of peripheral nerve.

However, mitomycin C at 0.7 mg/mL significantly reduced the thickness of the sciatic nerve myelin sheath.

Share on Pinterest
Hematoxylin-eosin staining revealed that local application of mitomycin C at 0.7 mg/mL to sciatic nerve injury region significantly reduced the thickness of the sciatic nerve myelin sheath.
Credit: Neural Regeneration Research

These experimental findings indicate that local application of mitomycin C at low concentrations is safe to prevent scar adhesion following laminectomy, but that at high concentrations (> 0.7 mg/mL) has potential safety risks to peripheral nerve structures.

These results were published in Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 9, No. 8, 2014).

Article: " Potential risk of mitomycin C at high concentrations on peripheral nerve structure," by Tao Sui1, Jinhong Zhang2, Shihao Du1, Changhui Su3, Jun Que4, Xiaojian Cao1 (1 Department of Orthopedics, the First Affliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China; 2 Department of Orthopedics, the Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affliated to Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China; 3 Department of Orthopedics, Affliated Hospital of Taishan Medical College, Taishan, Shandong Province, China; 4 Department of Intensive Care Unit, the First Affliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China)

Sui T, Zhang JH, Du SH, Su CH, Que J, Cao XJ. Potential risk of mitomycin C at high concentrations on peripheral nerve structure. Neural Regen Res. 2014;9(8):821-827.

Neural Regeneration Research