Mohs Surgery

This procedure is only done in our Kirksville Office Location

Dr. Cleaver, Shawnee, or our residents have chosen this treatment for your skin cancer
because of:

• Location--not enough tissue to do a wide excision or may distort facial features
• Type of cancer--nodular or cystic subtypes are a little more aggressive.  Morhpheaform
  spreads out like fingers making it more difficult to determine margins
• Size of the original lesion--larger than 1 cm qualifies
• Recurrence--if a cancer has come back or comes up close to the scar of a previous
  skin cancer site, it is unpredictable as to the growth pattern.

This procedure will take the least amount of skin, but yet make sure all the cancer is gone from
that location. If the skin cancer would be located on arm, back or stomach, Dr. Cleaver would
be able to take an extra margin of skin and be confident in removing it.  Due to the reasons
above, the Mohs procedure is the best treatment and has the highest cure rate between
97%-98%.  No treatment is 100%

The numbing process is the same as when the original biopsy was performed in a larger area.
When the piece of skin is removed it is marked with dyes in four sections before sending it to our
Mohs lab. This enables Dr. Cleaver to see which area still needs more tissue removed according
to the markings after the tissues is frozen and sectioned in our Mohs lab.   The patient will remain
in the room while the tissue is processed.

If the tissue is free of cancer then the site can be closed with stitches.  If there is still cancer cells in
the tissue, Dr. Cleaver will then remove more tissue utilizing the dye markings and taking only the
tissue that is positive for cancer.  The patient then again waits while the tissue is processed in the
Mohs lab.  This process is repeated until the tissue is free from cancer.  For this reason it is
difficult to tell you how long you will be in the office.

As soon as it is determined that the tissue is cancer free, Dr. Cleaver will then determine the best
method for closing the site.  Our physicians use the same types of closures that Plastic Surgeons
use.  It is their goal to give you the best cosmetically pleasing type of closure.

When you call to schedule this procedure, the nurses may need to ask you some preoperative
questions.

Download Mohs booklet

Download Pre Op Instructions