Mohs Micrographic Surgery is the most advanced and effective treatment procedure for skin cancer available today. The procedure is performed by specially trained surgeons who have completed formal fellowship training (in addition to a 3-year dermatology residency) under the tutelage of a Mohs College member.
Initially developed by Dr. Frederic Mohs, the Mohs procedure is a state-of-the-art treatment that has been continuously refined over 70 years. With the Mohs technique, the surgeon is able to see beyond the visible disease to precisely identify and remove the entire tumor layer by layer while leaving the surrounding healthy tissue intact and unharmed. As the most exact and precise method of tumor removal, it minimizes the chance of re-growth and lessens the potential for scarring or disfigurement.
Because the physician is specially trained in surgery, pathology, and reconstruction, Mohs surgery has the highest success rate of all treatments of skin cancer – up to 99%. The Mohs technique is the treatment of choice for skin cancers of the face and other sensitive areas as it relies on the precision of a microscopic surgical procedure to trace the edges of the cancer and ensure complete removal of all tumor down to the roots during the initial surgery.
Clinical studies conducted at various national and international medical institutions demonstrate that Mohs surgery provides 5-year cure rates exceeding 99% for new cancers and 95% for recurrent cancers.
The peripheral and deep surgical margins are checked during Mohs surgery. This allows 100% of the margins to be evaluated, allowing the highest cure rate and the smallest surgical defect.
Mohs surgery is usually performed as an outpatient procedure in our office. On rare occasions will we utilize the operating room at a local surgical center or hospital. This is only utilized in large tumors or in patients that require additional monitoring.
Typically, the Mohs procedure is started in the morning and can be completed on the same day, depending on the extent of tumor and the amount of reconstruction necessary. Local anesthesia is administered around the area of the tumor so that the patient is awake and comfortable during the entire procedure.
Patient education video from the American College of Mohs Surgery
• allowing the site to heal on its own (second intent healing)
• closing the surgical defect with sutures (primary closure)
• reconstructing complicated surgical defects with a skin flap or skin graft
• in some instances you may require the assistance of another surgical specialist
Some patients are required to take pre-operative antibiotics and you will be asked if this pertains to you.
We know that you may be anxious regarding the procedure and we will do everything that we can to ensure that you are comfortable. Please do not hesitate to ask us any questions.
• Continue all current medications (including anticoagulant therapy) unless specifically instructed otherwise.
• Do not drink alcohol for 5 days prior to surgery.
• Eat your regular breakfast (or lunch) before surgery.
• You will be admitted in our operatory suite & your family member(s) will have the opportunity to wait outside
• Plan to be at our office for 2 to 4 hours. This time does not mean that the surgery will take this long but that processing of the tissue takes time as well as the possibility of multiple stages/layers.
• You may want to bring a sweater or jacket to wear in the waiting room as the temperature may be cool.
• Please do not wear any make-up on the surgical site on the day of surgery.
To become a member of the American College of Mohs Surgery and be known as a Mohs surgeon, a special 1 to 2 year fellowship (after a dermatology residency) is required. Only a limited number of dermatologists are trained each year to be Mohs surgeons.
