Mohs surgery, also known as microscopically controlled surgery, was developed by Dr. F. Mohs in the 1940's. It is a common procedure used to treat certain skin cancers and to prevent the recurrence of that cancer. This precise method of treating skin cancers allows us to surgically remove the skin cancer and immediately examine the tissue to identify any remaining cancerous tissue.
Mohs Micrographic Surgery is a precise, state-of-the-art method for removing skin cancers. With this technique, the tumor is removed with small margins to try and preserve normal tissue and then it is meticulously mapped to assure proper orientation. Frozen section processing and immediate pathologic evaluation is done by the surgeon to assess tumor clearance. If there are positive margins, more stages are taken until the margins are clear and the skin cancer is successfully removed.
Immediate on-site microscopic examination of the tumor allows the physician to see beyond what is visible to the eye thus identifying and removing the diseased tissues, conserving uninvolved tissue.
Generally, the reconstruction/repair of the area is done on the same day as the Mohs removal. This surgery is always done on an outpatient basis with local anesthetic. The healing process is similiar to that of most surgical procedures. Dr. Richey has extensive training and experience in reconstructive surgery.
Mohs Micrographic Surgery has the highest cure rate of any treatment option for skin cancer with the important benefit of preserving healthy tissue, thereby minimizing scarring.
Mohs surgery has become the treatment of choice for certain basal and squamous cell carcinomas. However, Mohs surgery is generally reserved for tumors of the head, neck, hands, feet and genitalia, where preserving unaffected tissue is a high priority.
There are other situations where Mohs surgery is used, such as:
• Ill-defined tumors
