Mohs surgery . It is a precise surgical technique used to treat skin cancer. It consists of removing the tumor and analyzing it under a microscope immediately to see if it has been completely removed. If not, excisions are carried out (only in the area where the tumor remains) until its complete eradication is verified. The frequency of tumor recurrence after this technique is performed is less than 1%.
Summary
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- 1 Purpose of Mohs surgery
- 2 When is it done?
- 3 Complications
- 4 Preoperative recommendations
- 1 The previous days
- 2 The day of the intervention
- 5 Anesthesia
- 6 Post-intervention
- 7 Results
- 8 Sources
Goal of Mohs surgery
It is removing as much of the skin cancer as possible and, in turn, minimizing damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. It is usually done on an outpatient basis with local anesthesia.
When it’s made?
Mohs surgery is used to treat the most common types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma , as well as some more unusual types of melanoma and other types of skin cancer.
This surgery is especially useful for skin cancers with the following characteristics:
- They have a high risk of recurrence or have reappeared after previous treatment
- They are located in areas where you want to preserve as much healthy tissue as possible, such as around the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hands, feet, and genitals
- They have edges that are difficult to define
- They are big or aggressive
Complications
Complications that can be associated with Mohs surgery include wound infection, bleeding, the appearance of unsightly scars and / or nerve damage.
Preoperative recommendations
The previous days
- Avoid taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and alcoholic beverages before the intervention. Patients taking aspirin, antiplatelet agents (AAS®, Plavix®, Tromalyt®, etc.) or anticoagulants (Sintrom®) should consult with the dermatologist when the intervention is scheduled. These medications do not necessarily have to be withdrawn before surgery.
- In some cases, your dermatologist will recommend taking an oral antibiotic prior to surgery.
The day of the intervention
- You can have breakfast and take your usual medication (except NSAIDs). You can also take a Valiumâ at 8 am.
- Go to the Dermatology clinics (K-64) at 9 am and report your arrival to the dermatological surgery nurse (Montserrat Molas).
- The intervention will be carried out with local anesthesia.
- It is recommended that you come accompanied. There will be times when you will remain in a waiting room where you can be accompanied, read, listen to music. You can take something to read (books, magazines …) or music devices.
- The whole process can take from 2 to 6 hours, so you have to have the whole morning free.
- After the intervention you can go home. 24 hour rest is recommended. Have a pain reliever at home if you have pain (Termalgin Codeina, Efferalgan 1 gr, Nolotil cps).
Anesthesia
It is a long-term treatment in the operating room (3 to 5 hours) that is usually carried out with local anesthesia. In some complex cases general anesthesia may be used.
Post-intervention
The dermatologist will explain what the postoperative care is in each case. Usually before the first 8 days, the stitches will be removed and local cures will be performed as indicated.
Results
With this technique we only remove the tumor tissue since the intervention is guided by the histological study that is carried out simultaneously with it. This makes it a surgical technique with a lower percentage of recurrences. For this, it is necessary to have specialized personnel trained in this type of intervention and a pathologist with experience in the application of this technique. The use of this technique is complex and requires adequate training. The results obtained depend on each patient and must be adjusted to reality.
