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    Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2006 Sep-Oct;30(5):513-20.

    The effects of zafirlukast on capsular contracture: preliminary report.

    Scuderi N, Mazzocchi M, Fioramonti P, Bistoni G.

    Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, La Sapienza University of Rome, Via Portuense 331, 00149 Rome, Italy.

    Capsular contracture after breast augmentation is a distressing, troublesome event both for the patient and the surgeon. Fibrosis transforms the prosthesis into a hardened sphere, turning the initially satisfactory cosmetic result into a deformed mass. Treatment for capsular contracture can be either surgical, consisting of capsulotomy or capsulectomy with implant replacement, or pharmacologic, consisting of intracapsular instillation of steroids and antibiotics. The success rates for both types of treatment vary. Although capsular contracture is a multifactorial process, one common denominator in the successful treatment of this complication is believed to be the abatement of inflammation. Leukotriene antagonists have emerged recently as effective prophylactic agents for reactive airway diseases. Anecdotal reports have indicated that zafirlukast and montelukast effectively reverse capsular contracture. The authors investigated whether capsular contracture varies significantly over time after zafirlukast therapy by studying 20 women who had breast prostheses implanted and then experienced the development of capsular contracture. The results suggest that capsular contracture responds favorably to treatment with zafirlukast. The findings indicate that zafirlukast may reduce pain and breast capsule distortion for patients with long-standing contracture who either are not surgical candidates or do not wish to undergo surgery.

    PMID: 16977359 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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    Patient drug information

    • Montelukast (Singulair®)

      Montelukast is used to prevent difficulty breathing, chest tightness, wheezing and coughing caused by asthma. Montelukast is also used to prevent bronchospasm (breathing difficulties) during exercise. Montelukast is also...

    • Zafirlukast (Accolate®)

      Zafirlukast is used to prevent asthma symptoms. Zafirlukast is in a class of medications called leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs). It works by blocking the action of certain natural substances that cause swelling ...