Background: Ocular motility dysfunction following strabismus surgery may be the result of postoperative scarring or the formation of adhesions. Mitomycin C (MMC) has been used with encouraging results as an adjunct to standard treatment of hypertrophic conjunctival scars after strabismus surgery. It has been demonstrated that MMC does not inhibit muscle reattachment and might inhibit adhesions and scar formation in the rabbit. We investigated in a rabbit model effectiveness of MMC in reducing the formation of postoperative adhesions following reoperations and the tensile strength of the new musculo-scleral junction.
Methods: A prospective, masked-observer, controlled study was performed in rabbits. Symmetrical bilateral recessions of the superior and inferior rectus muscles were performed on each rabbit. A reoperation was performed 6 weeks later, in which the muscles were advanced back to their original insertion. During the reoperation, one eye served as the control while the other was treated with a 5-minute intraoperative exposure to topical mitomycin.
Results: Mitomycin reduced the formation of adhesions and the amount of postoperative scarring. The tensile strength of the musculo-scleral junction was reduced in the mitomycin-treated eyes but exceeded the force generated during extraocular ductions.
Conclusion: MMC may be an effective adjunctive therapy in the treatment of strabismus associated with pre-existing adhesions or scarring.