Mohs surgery is a highly specialized surgical technique for the removal of skin cancer. Mohs surgery has proven to be the gold standard for the treatment of many types of skin cancer and offers the highest cure rate for our skin cancer patients.

Mohs surgery is a unique procedure because it allows the surgeon to remove all of the skin cancer while leaving the smallest defect possible. The Mohs surgeon removes the tumor and analyzes 100% of the removed tissue under the microscope to be sure all the cancer has been removed. This outpatient procedure is performed under local anesthesia and is usually followed by reconstruction of the area.

What can I expect if I am having Mohs surgery?

The goal of Mohs surgery is to remove all of the skin cancer while preserving the greatest amount of healthy tissue. However, skin cancers can develop roots deep into the skin, extending beyond the area that you actually see. Mohs surgery is performed in a series of well planned steps:

1) The area involved with skin cancer is marked.

2) A local anesthetic is injected around the skin cancer.

3) Surgical removal of the cancer is performed in a specific fashion so that the entire undersurface and all of the skin edges can be examined systematically under the microscope by the Mohs surgeon.

4) Once removed, the tissue is inked with various colors and a corresponding map is drawn so that any tumor found microscopically can be located in the exact right spot on the patient.

5) The Mohs technician prepares the microscopic slides for the surgeon

6) The surgeon then examines the slides under the microscope to look for cancer cells.

7) Subsequent tissue is removed in a similar fashion until no more cancer cells are seen under the microscope. The average number of surgical sessions required is one to three. Fortunately, this can usually be done over the course of a single day.

8) When surgery is complete the area is reconstructed in a variety of ways depending on the nature and location of the defect.