What is MOHS surgery?
In the early 1940s, Dr. Fredrick Mohs, professor of surgery at the University of Wisconsin, developed a form of treatment for skin cancers he called chemosurgery. “Chemosurgery” is derived from the words “chemical” and “surgery”. The addition of “Mohs” honors the doctor who developed the technique. It is a highly specialized form of treatment for the total removal of skin cancers. It is performed by a team of medical personnel that includes physicians, nurses and technicians. The physician heading the team has subspecialty (fellowship) surgical training in the technique and is recognized by the American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology. Other physicians on the team include fellows and residents who will help assist while learning the technique. The nurse is an important part of the team who helps answer your questions, respond to your anxieties, assist in surgery and instruct you in dressing and wound care after the surgery is performed. A technician performs
Mohs (rhymes with toes) Micrographic Surgery is an advanced treatment procedure for skin cancer which offers the highest potential for recovery – even if the skin cancer has been previously treated. This procedure is a state-of-the-art skin cancer treatment in which the physician serves as surgeon, pathologist, and reconstructive surgeon. The procedure was developed by Frederic Mohs, M.D. in the 1930’s and has undergone several modifications throughout the years. It relies on the precision and accuracy of a microscope to trace and ensure removal of skin cancer down to its roots. The goal of the procedure is to remove the skin cancer totally while minimizing the amount of normal noncancerous skin removed in the process. The highly trained surgeons that perform Mohs Micrographic Surgery are specialists in both Dermatology and Skin Pathology. Properly trained Mohs surgeons have completed an internship and residency in Dermatology following medical school, plus a fellowship program approve
This unique form of surgery for skin tumor removal was developed more than 50 years ago by Frederick Mohs, MD, a professor at the University of Wisconsin. Since that time, the technique has been refined and advanced. In fact, today it is offered in most major medical centers throughout the country. Its wide acceptance stems from the fact that, for certain kinds of skin cancer, it offers a cure rate of upwards of 99 percent.
