Mohs micrographic surgery
Mohs Micrographic Surgery
Mohs Micrographic Surgery (pronunciation: moze) is a precise surgical technique used to treat skin cancer. During Mohs surgery, thin layers of cancer-containing skin are progressively removed and examined until only cancer-free tissue remains. Mohs surgery is also known as Mohs micrographic surgery.
The goal of Mohs surgery is to remove as much of the skin cancer as possible, while doing minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Mohs surgery is usually done on an outpatient basis using a local anesthetic.
Etymology
The procedure is named after Dr. Frederic E. Mohs, the physician who developed the technique.
Procedure
Mohs surgery is performed in stages, all in one visit, while the patient waits between each stage. After removing a layer of tissue, the surgeon examines it under a microscope in an on-site lab. If any cancer cells remain, the surgeon knows the exact area where they are and removes another layer of tissue from that precise location, while sparing as much healthy tissue as possible. The process is repeated until no cancer cells remain.
Advantages
Mohs surgery has a high cure rate. It's also tissue-sparing and can be less disfiguring than other forms of treatment, which can be particularly beneficial when skin cancers occur in visible areas, such as the face.
Related Terms
- Skin Cancer: The abnormal growth of skin cells. It most often develops on skin exposed to the sun, but can also occur on areas of your skin not ordinarily exposed to sunlight.
- Basal Cell Carcinoma: A type of skin cancer that begins in the basal cells.
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A type of skin cancer that begins in the squamous cells.
- Melanoma: The most serious type of skin cancer, develops in the cells (melanocytes) that produce melanin — the pigment that gives your skin its color.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Mohs micrographic surgery
- Wikipedia's article - Mohs micrographic surgery
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski