Mohs Surgery

Micrographic surgery is a very specialized way of treating skin cancers. It provides the highest possible cure rate while removing as little normal skin as possible. Micrographic surgery is also called Mohs surgery in honor of Dr. Frederic Mohs who developed the technique.

The procedure begins by thoroughly numbing the area with a local anesthetic. Then all visible cancer is removed and a very thin layer of surrounding skin is taken to check for any remaining cancer cells that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye. This layer is processed by a technician and examined under the microscope by the micrographic surgeon.

The location of any remaining cancer is carefully mapped on a diagram of the surgical wound and then removed in a thin layer. This tissue is also examined under the microscope and the process is repeated as often as necessary until all the cancer cells have been completely removed.

By using these detailed mapping techniques and complete microscopic margin control, the micrographic surgeon is able to locate and remove even the smallest microscopic cancer roots without sacrificing large and unnecessary amounts of normal, uninvolved skin.