Complications of Mohs surgery

Mohs surgery as a method of skin cancer treatment

Mohs surgery is a surgery procedure that is used in the treatment of several types of the skin cancer, or more precisely, it is used for their removal. This is a very precise surgical technique. During it, layer by layer of skin is being removed, until the tissue or skin that is not cancerous finally remains. An experienced surgeon with months and even years of training is necessary, in order for this procedure to be done without the damage to the healthy nearby tissue, or at least with minimum of the damage. In some cases, after the procedure, plastic surgery is necessary in order to correct the scar and the area of the surgery.

This surgery is considered as one of the best, and it definitely gives the best results in cases of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, which are the most frequent type of skin cancer. It is very effective in the treatment of melanoma and other types of cancer that are less common as well. Mohs surgery will be recommended to patients in which the cancer has come back, and to those who are at higher risk that this may happen; to patients in which the cancer is located in or near eyes, nose, mouth, genitals, so it is important to save as much tissue as possible; in cases of large or aggressive cancers, or in cases of the cancer where borders which cannot be defined easily.

What are the possible complications that the patient should be aware of?

The complications that are more or less common for every procedure, and thus for this one as well, are bleeding, infection, and pain in the site of the surgery, but generally, these complications are easily treated either with antibiotics or with pain relievers. However, when it comes to the complications that are typical of this surgery only, feeling of numbness around the affected area may be experienced, especially if the endings of the nerves have been cut during the procedure. If a cancer is bigger in size, weakness, either temporary or permanent, may also be felt in that area, as well as itching or piercing pain. Although it is important to find a surgeon experienced in dermatology, Dermatopathology and dermatologic surgery, even that does not always have to be the guarantee that there will be no complications, since in some cases, it is practically impossible to predict any of them.