Mohs surgery is a precise approach for removing skin cancer that is at high risk. The tumor is excised in layers by the surgeon, who examines the edges under a microscope until all malignancy is eliminated. Because healthy tissue is preserved, it is appropriate for skin malignancies on sensitive areas such as the face, scalp, hands, and genitals. Visit this page for san antonio skin cancer surgery.
Difference between Mohs surgery and excision:
The primary distinction between Mohs surgery and excision is the margin-checking procedure. Excision typically checks less than 1% of the margins, whereas Mohs micrographic surgery checks 100% of the deep and side margins.
What is Mohs surgery used for?
Mohs surgery is used to remove common skin malignancies such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Certain melanomas, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, microcystic adnexal carcinoma, sebaceous carcinoma, extramammary Paget disease, and other skin malignancies may also be treated with it.
Mohs surgery is usually done in a doctor’s office or an outpatient surgical facility. After each excision, patients must wait while the surgeon examines tumor slides. Additional layers are removed for investigation if a tumor is discovered near the margins.
What happens before the surgery?
Your dermatologist will check the spot and surrounding tissue, as well as your medical history, medications, and biopsy results, before performing Mohs surgery for skin cancer. Preoperative antibiotics may be required based on your health and surgical site, and treatment alternatives, risks, and benefits of Mohs surgery will be reviewed.
What is the procedure?
Mohs surgery includes the removal of cancerous skin cells layer by layer. The surgeon numbs the area before removing obvious tumor areas and a thin layer of tissue while conserving good skin. After freezing and staining, the tissue is inspected under a microscope. The procedure takes about an hour, and the surgeon analyzes the tissue to confirm that all cancer cells have been removed.
If cancer cells are discovered in a tissue sample during Mohs surgery, the surgeon removes further layers until no cancer cells remain. Depending on the size and location of the excision, reconstruction of the ensuing wound may be required. During the assessment and treatment planning, your surgeon will discuss the need for reconstruction.
Final thoughts:
Call your doctor if you have uncontrollable discomfort, pain that worsens after improvement, fever, thick discharge, foul odor, redness, swelling, or heat around the site following Mohs surgery, as these may signal potential problems or infection.
