The role of mitomycin in the prevention and treatment of scar formation in the pediatric aerodigestive tract - Friend or foe?

Objective: To evaluate the role of mitomycin in the prevention and treatment of scar formation in the pediatric aerodigestive tract. Design: Prospective study; institutional review board-approved clinical trial. Setting: Tertiary care pediatric medical center. Patients: Fifteen patients; choanal atresia in 5 patients, airway stenosis in 8 patients, hypopharyngeal stenosis in 1 patient, and esophageal stenosis in 1 patient. Outcome: The efficacy and safety of mitomycin in the prevention of scar formation. Intervention: All patients underwent surgical repair of the stenotic area, followed by topical application of mitomycin (I mL of 0.4 mg/mL) for 4 minutes. Results: Ten patients (67%) showed major improvement, 4 patients (27%) showed minor improvement, and 1 patient (7%) showed no improvement. Conclusion: Topical application of mitomycin can play an effective role in the prevention and treatment of scar formation in the acrodigestive tract.