Mohs Surgery
What Is Mohs Surgery?
Mohs surgery is a highly specialized and precise treatment for skin cancer in which the cancer is removed in stages, one tissue layer at a time. It is an outpatient procedure, performed under local anesthesia, and is distinguished by a specific technique of tissue examination that is unique to Mohs surgery. Although other surgical specialists may check excision margins, this form of pathologic examination of the tissue is not the same as Mohs surgery. Mohs Surgery, also called Mohs micrographic surgery, has the highest cure rate because cancer is removed in stages with the highest precision preserving healthy skin and tissue. The surgery involves removing a disc or “layer” of tissue that gets processed in real time in the Mohs laboratory.
The American College of Mohs Surgery has created a Step by Step Guide to this process.
Advantages of Mohs Surgery
Mohs surgery is a very effective way to remove non-melanoma skin cancer. Besides being highly effective, Mohs surgery has many advantages which include:
- Maximizes cosmetic appearance and function
- Ensures complete cancer removal during surgery
- Minimizes the amount of healthy tissue lost
- Single-visit outpatient surgery
- Local anesthesia
- Lab work done on-site
- Physician examines 100 percent of tumor margins
- Leaves the smallest scar possible
- The highest cure rate
- Up to 99 percent for a skin cancer that has not been treated before
- Up to 94 percent for a skin cancer that has recurred after previous treatment for skin cancer
What to Expect
The Mohs surgery procedure takes place in an outpatient setting that includes a laboratory for microscopic examination of the tissue.
- You will receive a local anesthetic to numb the area completely.
- You will be awake during the procedure.
- Your surgeon will map the area of the tumor, providing a guide and helping to identify cancerous cells that need to be removed.
- Your surgeon will use a scalpel to remove the tumor, along with a thin layer of surrounding tissue.
- Each tissue layer that is removed will be prepared and put into slides to be examined under the microscope. If there is evidence of cancer around the outer edges of the tissue, your surgeon take another layer of tissue from the area where the cancer was detected. This ensure only the cancerous tissue is removed during the procedure, minimizing the loss of healthy tissue.
- Your surgeon will repeat these steps until all the tissue samples are free of cancer.
After Mohs Surgery
Your surgeon will dress the wound and provide after care instructions. We understand that a good cosmetic result is an important part of the recovery process, and that's why your surgeon works hard to leave as little tissue damage as possible. If reconstruction is necessary, your surgeon usually repairs the area the same day as the tumor removal.
Post-Operative Care
After a Mohs surgery procedure, most patients find the recovery process simple and easy thanks to the streamlined surgical approach that leaves surrounding tissue unharmed. It is common for patients to wonder what they can expect after their procedure. It is also important to use the post-operative period to plan an ongoing skin cancer detection strategy for the future. The video below from the American College of Mohs Surgery offers a step-by-step guide to help ensure the best possible outcome following your Mohs surgery.
Additional Resources
