Unlike a few other surgical procedures for skin cancer, Mohs micrographic surgery is fast, effective, and easy to understand. Here are the four main stages which occur during Mohs Micrographic surgery which removes cancerous skin tissue.
Stage 1: Removing Cancerous Tissue
The surgeon who performs Mohs surgery removes any cancer that is visible on the skin’s surface. A thin layer of extra tissue is cut out as well. This stage of surgery is complete in just a few minutes.
Stage 2: Reviewing the Removed Tissue
The separated skin is cut into segments to help pinpoint the cancer’s location. It is then stained to highlight where the cancerous cells are, and marked on an elaborate diagram. The removed skin is subjected to freezing on a cryostat.
Outside layers are sliced away, then carefully placed on slides for further examination. Mohs map is used at this time to identify and label any cancerous tissue. If detected, all cancer cells are removed.
As you can see, stage 2 is the longest part of Mohs surgery. It can take more than an hour for the entire process to be completed. Fortunately, there will be less tissue to analyze after each repetition of the procedure.
Stage 3: Repeating Until Finished
Stages 1 and 2 are repeated until no cancerous tissue remains.
Stage 4: Repairing the Skin
The area that was operated on is now ready to begin its natural healing process.
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