Mohs Surgery
Mohs surgery, also known as Mohs micrographic surgery, is a very precise surgical technique used to remove skin cancers. It’s main goal is to achieve the highest cure rate while producing minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Mohs surgery is used to treat basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma and other unusual skin cancers. Mohs surgery is done on an outpatient basis in a surgical suite. This surgical procedure is most useful for skin cancers that:
- Have a high risk of recurrence or have recurred after previous treatment
- Have borders that are hard to define
- Are located in areas where you want to preserve tissue, such as around the eyes, ears, nose and mouth
- Are large and aggressive
Before the procedure, Dr Beals may ask you to:
- Stop taking certain medications that may affect your chances of bleeding (blood thinners, Aspirin, vitamin E, ginko)
- Shower the morning of the surgery
- Wear casual clothes that are comfortable
- Schedule no activities the day of the surgery and avoid strenuous activities until the sutures are removed
- Bring something with you to pass the time. Skin cancers can be unpredictable and take several hours to complete.
After the cancer has been removed, you and Dr Beals can decide how to repair the wound. Options include the following:
- Letting the wound heal on its own
- Using sutures to close the wound
- Using skin grafts
- Using skin flaps
If the surgical wound is extensive Dr Beals may send you to a reconstructive surgeon afterwards. Routine follow-up exams will be scheduled to evaluate for any recurrence.