Mohs surgery is a procedure used to treat skin cancer. It's a precise procedure that removes cancerous tissue layer by layer while preserving healthy tissue.
Mohs surgery is recognized as the treatment of choice for high risk basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. The skin cancer is progressively removed in stages with local anesthesia. After each stage, the excision margins are microscopically examined for remaining cancer cells and this process is repeated until all cancer has been removed and the wound is only closed after it has been confirmed that the entire cancer has been removed.
Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is a surgical procedure that removes skin cancer in layers. It's a precise and effective treatment that leaves as little healthy tissue as possible.
Skin cancers can be like iceburgs; what you see at the surface is just a small part of a larger structure. Mohs is a minimally-invasive surgery that allows health care providers to directly target cancerous tissues at and below the surface of the skin, saving as much healthy tissue as possible.
Mohs is typically performed on cancers that are located in visible areas such as the nose, eyelids, or ears. Mohs is also performed on cancers that are likely to return. By removing the cancer in layers, the surgeon reduces the risk of leaving any cancer cells behind.
Mohs surgery is used if the cancer is a type that is likely to metastasize, like some squamous cell carcinomas or on fast-growing, aggressive cancers. The Mohs procedure can also be used in cases of pediatric cancer.
The benefits of Mohs surgery are preferred to those of traditional local incision, a procedure in which the surgeon removes the visible cancer and a small, surrounding area of healthy skin. Mohs surgery significantly increases the chances of all present cancer cells being removed, which reduces the need for additional surgeries or treatments. It also increases the odds of full remission.
An additional benefit to Mohs surgery is the entire cancer margin is examined. In conventional surgery, the surgeon examines only 1-3 percent of the margin, which greatly increases the risk of cancer cells being missed during the procedure. Mohs is also an outpatient procedure that can be done in our office.
The risks of Mohs micrographic surgery include bleeding, infection of the wound, scarring, and discomfort or pain.
This is a difficult question to answer as it depends on how many stages of Mohs are required to clear the tumor. Plan on being here for several hours and if you are finished early it will be a pleasant surprise. Please do not make other important appointments for the day of the surgery.
Yes. Although it is nice to have company on the day of surgery, it is not required. Only local anesthesia is used, so you will not be impaired in any way.
We offer all of our patients pain medicine following surgery. Many find that they do not require pain medicine. If you do take pain medicine, you should not drive or do other activities that require mental acuity.
Any time a cut is made in the skin there will be a scar or mark. Our goal is to make this scar as imperceptible as possible. We will continue to work with you, long after your surgery if necessary, to minimize your scarring.
Getting a procedure is a tremendous personal investment. However, it is not a decision that should be made lightly or in a hurry. Rushing might influence you to choose the wrong shape or go too big, which may impair you from running, jumping, or performing certain physical activities with ease. Go too small, and you may feel underwhelmed with your new look.
“ If you want to take the next step and learn more about your options, contact us online or call us. Dr. Edouard Coeugniet will help you determine whether treatment is right for you and, if so, which solution best suits your needs. ”
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