Effectiveness of intraoperative mitomycin C in maintaining the patency of a frontal sinusotomy: a preliminary report of a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative scarring in the frontal recess is the most common cause of iatrogenic frontal sinusitis. Topical mitomycin-C (MMC) is an antifibroblastic agent that has been shown to reduce clinical scarring. This is a preliminary report of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial using MMC to determine its effectiveness in reducing frontal recess stenosis after frontal sinusotomy.

METHODS: All patients with chronic rhinosinusitis undergoing primary or revision bilateral image-guided endoscopic sinus surgery were enrolled. Patients requiring frontal sinus stents and those with allergic fungal sinusitis were excluded. After completion of the frontal sinusotomy, dimensions of the frontal recess were measured using curved Frazer suction diameters. A neuropattie soaked in 0.5 mg/mL of MMC was then placed into one frontal recess for 4 minutes in a randomized manner. A saline control was used for the other side. The primary surgeon was blinded to the medicated side intraoperatively and throughout the follow-up period. Measurements of the frontal recess were repeated at 1, 3, and 6 months.

RESULTS: There was no difference in the degree of frontal recess stenosis between the MMC and control sides at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively for both primary and revision cases.

CONCLUSION: One-time intraoperative topical MMC is not effective in reducing postoperative frontal recess stenosis in both primary and revision cases.