Mohs Surgery

Mohs Surgery | Schaumburg | Elk Grove Village Mohs Surgery, also known as chemosurgery, is a procedure designed to excise entire lesions of skin cancer utilizing frozen section histology. It is most effective in removing primary basal cell carcinomas, but is also used for removing squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma-in-situ.

The procedure was developed by Fredrick Mohs, initially using a paste applied to the fresh wound of partially removed skin cancer and allowing it to dry overnight. This thin slice of tissue would become anesthetized, removed and observed under a microscope. If any cancer remained, the paste would be reapplied and the patient would return the next day until no cancer remained.

Mohs Surgery and Frozen Section - How to get it all out as a one day session.

What to Expect

2:00 p.m.

The targeted area of skin will be numbed with a local anesthetic. Those patients who feel anxious or worried about their procedure may be prescribed an oral medication to help them relax.

All cancerous skin cells will be removed, as well as a small area of surrounding tissue to ensure thorough treatment.

The removed specimen will be marked with supura vital dyes by one of our experienced nurses.

Mohs Surgery | Schaumburg | Elk Grove Village The specimen will then be transported across the street to Alexian Brothers Medical Center to the Pathologist.

Specimen is taken to Dr. Polisky's Mohs unit in the rear of our office building.

2:30 p.m.

In the meantime........

Patients can enjoy a wide array of tasty treats in our on-site café while they wait for their results.

3:15 p.m.

About 30 to 60 minutes later, the results of the procedure are called in by the pathologist, who will determine whether or not all traces of cancer have been removed, or if a small amount still needs to be taken out from all sides.

3:30 p.m.

Once all cancerous tissue has been removed, patients return to the surgery room for sutures and post-surgical instructions, and can then go home right away!

Case Study

Mohs Surgery | Schaumburg | Elk Grove Village Ray is a 67 year old patient with skin cancer on the forehead that was confirmed as basal cell carcinoma after a biopsy. Ray’s treatment at Elk Grove Dermatology involved:

10:00am: Ray arrived at the facility.

10:15am: His cancerous cells and a surrounding margin were removed from the forehead. The removed specimen was sent to the Mohs lab for testing.

10:45am: The results of the lab testing confirmed that some cancerous cells still remained, so further removal was promptly performed. The removed specimen was once again sent to the lab, where it was quickly confirmed that all traces of cancer had been removed.

11:20am: The treated area was closed with sutures. Ray was given his post-operative instructions and was then able to return home. He returned to the office 10 days later to have his sutures removed.