What is Mohs’ Surgery?

Reconstruction surgery is normally required following Mohs’ surgery. Mohs’ surgery is a procedure developed specifically to remove a basal cell carcinoma (a cancerous lesion). The Mohs’ surgery itself is performed using visualization with a microscope to carefully remove the cancerous lesion layer by layer. Each layer removed is analyzed until all margins are free of any cancerous tissue. This technique spares as much of the surrounding healthy tissue as possible. Reconstruction surgery following Mohs’ surgery is usually performed the same day or the day after the Mohs’ procedure.

What’s involved in reconstruction?

Reconstructing the area of defect left by the removal of the cancer is best performed by a reconstructive and cosmetic surgeon specialist with an enormous amount of skill and experience in order to achieve the best structural, functional and aesthetic result possible. A specialist has extensive training in aesthetics and ultra smooth wound closures for scar minimization and will take extra time to address the minute aesthetic details for a natural, non-surgical result.

Some defects left by the Mohs’ surgery often require the use skin grafts from other parts of the body during reconstruction. The skin behind the ear is a common area from which to harvest skin grafts as it is close in color and texture to facial skin. For larger defects there are several types of incisions that can be made to obtain a skin flap which can be rotated to cover the area. The type of incision made will depend on at least four things: the size of the defect, the location of the defect, the quality of the surrounding skin, and whether that skin is tight or loose.

Who should perform the reconstruction?

When choosing a surgeon to perform reconstruction following Mohs’ surgery, look for an ophthalmic plastic reconstructive and cosmetic surgeon who specializes in the eyelids, orbit, and tear drain system. It’s also important that he or she has completed an American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) fellowship. This indicates your surgeon is not only a board certified ophthalmologist who knows the anatomy and structure of the eyelids and orbit, but also has had extensive training in ophthalmic plastic reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. Dr. Shorr is Director of the Fellowship in Ophthalmic Plastic Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgery at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA School of Medicine. He and his associates are board certified ophthalmologists as well as ophthalmic plastic reconstructive and cosmetic surgeons who have completed an ASOPRS fellowship.

Dr. Norman Shorr is an early pioneer in many of the reconstructive and cosmetic eyelid, eyebrow, forehead and midface surgeries performed today worldwide. He and our surgeons continue to innovate and contribute to the specialty of cosmetic and reconstructive facial surgery. Call today to schedule your personal consultation!

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