How is Mohs Surgery performed?
How to Prepare for Mohs Surgery
How is Mohs Surgery performed?
First, the area around the tumor is numbed using local anesthesia to eliminate pain. This usually stings for a few seconds and is usually the only pain felt throughout the whole procedure.
Then, the visible portion of the tumor is carefully removed using a scalpel or curette.
The next step involves removal of a layer of tissue to check the margins for presence of tumor. A 1-3mm margin around the tumor is drawn and a thin pancake-shaped piece of tissue is removed using a sharp scalpel.
We then bring this tissue to the laboratory, process the tissue, and prepare slides. This slide-making process may take 60 to 90 minutes. During this time, a bandage is placed on your wound and you may be brought to the waiting room area to await the results.
When the slides are ready, Dr. Shapiro then examines both the lateral and deep margins of the tissue with a microscope and checks for tumor. The results of this step are recorded on a map of the treatment area.
If there is any tumor left in any section, you are brought back to the surgery room, and another tissue layer is taken, to again check the margins for tumor. This process is repeated until the base and sides of the tumor no longer contain tumor cells.