Mohs surgery is a method of skin cancer removal. The Mohs surgical technique involves removing precisely the amount of skin that is required to eradicate a skin tumor. Mohs surgery is typically applied to regions of the face and body where excessive skin removal would disrupt or destroy other important structures or functions. Regions of the face where Mohs surgery is commonly used to treat skin cancers include the forehead, cheeks, eyelids, lips and nose. Mohs surgery can also be applied to skin tumors of the hands and other body parts.
The types of tumors typically treated with Mohs surgery include basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Some thin melanomas can also be treated with Mohs surgery.
Mohs surgery is done by dermatologists trained in the technique. Depending on the complexity of the defect, the repair is done either at the time of Mohs surgery, or later by a plastic surgeon skilled in Mohs reconstruction.
Mohs reconstruction can involve more than just closing a wound. Some Mohs defects require structural cartilage grafting techniques to restore normal form and function to the region.
Dr. Sattler has experience treating complex Mohs defects of the face, body and hands in his Seattle and Bellevue WA clinic.