The optimal mitomycin C concentration for intact peripheral nerve structure and function

Recently, local scar adhesion after laminectomy always challenges the worldwide scholars engaged in spine surgery. Mitomycin C, a classical anti-tumor drug, has been attempted to be 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 locally used. 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 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. 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).

More information:
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.

Provided by Neural Regeneration Research