More Precise, Reduced Recovery Time
Mohs surgery bears the name of Dr. Frederic Mohs, who pioneered the technique in the 1930’s at the University of Wisconsin. The procedure currently offers the highest cure rates for skin cancer, often approaching 99%, while simultaneously minimizing the amount of healthy tissue that needs to be removed. Mohs surgery differs from other skin cancer treatments in that it permits the immediate, complete, and meticulous microscopic examination of the removed cancerous tissue so that no extensions are left behind. These microscopic extensions may extend deeper or wider than they appear on the surface, and they may also follow nerves, blood vessels, scar tissue or cartilage. Therefore, what is apparent on the surface of the skin does not always reflect the cancer’s true involvement under the skin.
Mohs surgery is an elaborate and detailed process, requiring specialized training, support staff, and equipment. Having completed formal fellowship training, Dr. Martinelli and Dr. Russell are among a select number of physicians capable of offering this treatment.
The benefits of Mohs surgery are:
- Safety - Mohs surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure in our surgical center using local anesthesia, reducing the recovery time as well as the risk of complications.
- Preservation - Mohs surgery offers the most precise method of skin cancer removal by minimizing the amount of healthy tissue removed and maximizing the cosmetic outcome.
- Cure - Mohs surgery provides cure rates that are higher than those achieved by other skin cancer treatments.
- Convenience - For the majority of patients, the removal of the skin cancer as well as the repair are performed on the same day.
