Little Bluestem
All Good Things Must Come to an End
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My Dad had MOHS for a squamous cell carcanoma. It went well, though slowly, and healed well. (Pretty much what has already been said) Best Wishes. 
Anyone had Mohs micrographic surgery for basal cell carcinoma?
- Thread starter Sushi
- Start date
Sushi
Moderation Resource Albuquerque
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- Albuquerque
I had the surgery today and now have a huge (really huge!) pressure bandage on my face. It all went well and quickly. The doctor was very good. I liked his prescription for the rest of the day--don't do anything!
Question for @Butydoc or anyone else who knows: he had some way of seeing or sensing (a light or something?) which tissue was likely cancerous. This enabled him to get it all in one cut. I was in and out in just over an hour--including the lab time to analyze the tissue to make sure they had gotten it all.
Everyone was efficient and thoughtful and they even covered my eyes with a damp bandage to shield from the bright light.
Sushi
) pressure bandage on my face. It all went well and quickly. The doctor was very good. I liked his prescription for the rest of the day--don't do anything!Question for @Butydoc or anyone else who knows: he had some way of seeing or sensing (a light or something?) which tissue was likely cancerous. This enabled him to get it all in one cut. I was in and out in just over an hour--including the lab time to analyze the tissue to make sure they had gotten it all.
Everyone was efficient and thoughtful and they even covered my eyes with a damp bandage to shield from the bright light.
Sushi
Butydoc
Senior Member
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- 790
Hi Sushi,
I'm happy to hear your surgery went well. I'm not familiar with using a light to identify margins but i suppose it is possible. Generally under magnification, the margins can be determined. Usually a normal margin of 2-5 mm is removed to increase the likelihood of cancer cure.
Best,
Gary
I'm happy to hear your surgery went well. I'm not familiar with using a light to identify margins but i suppose it is possible. Generally under magnification, the margins can be determined. Usually a normal margin of 2-5 mm is removed to increase the likelihood of cancer cure.
Best,
Gary
I had the surgery today and now have a huge (really huge!
Question for @Butydoc or anyone else who knows: he had some way of seeing or sensing (a light or something?) which tissue was likely cancerous. This enabled him to get it all in one cut. I was in and out in just over an hour--including the lab time to analyze the tissue to make sure they had gotten it all.
Everyone was efficient and thoughtful and they even covered my eyes with a damp bandage to shield from the bright light.
Sushi
Sushi
Moderation Resource Albuquerque
- Messages
- 19,953
- Location
- Albuquerque
One more comment: After the numbing wore off it hurt like hell! A difficult night afterwards with pain and trying to breath with one closed nostril and the other pinched! Bandage comes off today. That is my little moan for the day.
Sushi
That is my little moan for the day.Sushi
tudiemoore
Senior Member
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- 161
- Location
- Southeast U.S.
Had a squamous cell tumor removed by Mohs surgery some years ago. All turned out fine but lots more complex than had been expected. It was in the crease by my nostril.
A concern I had was that the growth looked different from the many other basals I had had.
Surgery went a total of eight hours which, of course, included the "down time" while progress was checked. I had planned to have lunch with a friend who worked nearby!
I never looked at the incision but was informed that the tumor was much deeper than expected, to the cartilege--specific term for all this escapes me----brain fog, you probably know it well, huh?
Sent directly to plastic surgery and scheduled for a skin graft. Learned there the tumor was about the size of a quarter.
The plastic surgeon removed skin from behind my ear; the surgery didn't take long but I had anestheia---more fog here--pain meds for a few days, dressing changes, etc.
Somewhat complicated but had a great result --the outcome was almost undectable after healing and became more so as time went by.
I was extremely fortunate to be in a location of a major medical center.
SDSue, plenty of moaning, but all the bowls of chocolate ice cream (and other flavors) I had stashed in my freezer helped too!
I use extra sunscreen on the left side, face, neck, arm now--driving really does it.
Sunscreen, everybody, sunscreen!
A concern I had was that the growth looked different from the many other basals I had had.
Surgery went a total of eight hours which, of course, included the "down time" while progress was checked. I had planned to have lunch with a friend who worked nearby!
I never looked at the incision but was informed that the tumor was much deeper than expected, to the cartilege--specific term for all this escapes me--
--brain fog, you probably know it well, huh? Sent directly to plastic surgery and scheduled for a skin graft. Learned there the tumor was about the size of a quarter.
The plastic surgeon removed skin from behind my ear; the surgery didn't take long but I had anestheia---more fog here--pain meds for a few days, dressing changes, etc.
Somewhat complicated but had a great result --the outcome was almost undectable after healing and became more so as time went by.
I was extremely fortunate to be in a location of a major medical center.
SDSue, plenty of moaning, but all the bowls of chocolate ice cream (and other flavors) I had stashed in my freezer helped too!
I use extra sunscreen on the left side, face, neck, arm now--driving really does it.
Sunscreen, everybody, sunscreen!
Gingergrrl
Senior Member
- Messages
- 16,171
My dad had Mohs surgery approx 10 days ago to remove a basal cell carcinoma on his nose. It was a two day surgery (with second day as the reconstruction part) and it went well and the doctor removed all the cancer.
He was black & blue w/facial bruises and eye swollen shut but got his stitches removed last week and now looks a lot better and is doing great! He was initially in pain and putting ice on his face every hour but no longer needs the ice.
I would recommend the Mohs procedure to anyone in his situation and unlike me, he can tolerate local anesthesia with Epi.
He was black & blue w/facial bruises and eye swollen shut but got his stitches removed last week and now looks a lot better and is doing great! He was initially in pain and putting ice on his face every hour but no longer needs the ice.
I would recommend the Mohs procedure to anyone in his situation and unlike me, he can tolerate local anesthesia with Epi.