Contact Us to Learn More About Skin Cancer Reconstructive Surgery Los Angeles
After the surgeon has undertaken Mohs surgery to eradicate a skin cancer abrasion, they may do a simple closure or recommend reconstructive surgery. This kind of reconstructive plastic operation immediately happens after removing any skin growth lesions.
Reconstruction Choices
It is essential to recognize that there is no “formula” for carrying out post-Mohs reconstruction surgery as the quantities, locations, and kinds of tissues involved vary from one individual to another. However, some commonly used techniques are:
- Flap techniques: This is the most used facial reconstruction technique after skin cancer surgery.
- Bone graft: Bone is usually removed from your skull and designed for insertion into the excision spot.
- Cartilage graft: This is a common cartilage donor site in the ear; however, you may also use rib cartilage.
- Tissue expansion: A very small fraction of individuals use the expanders.
- Skin grafts: They are not commonly utilized for face reconstruction.
Who Can Benefit from It?
Any person who has undergone or plans to undergo this treatment and wishes to improve skin damage visibility may benefit from post-Mohs restoration. Healthy people who do not smoke are usually good candidates.
Board-certified doctors will often see individuals who had skin cancer operation for:
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Basal cell carcinoma
- Other types of non-melanoma cancers
How It Is Performed
There are some general steps for most people undergoing a post-Mohs reconstructive operation. Before starting the operation or giving anesthesia, a plastic surgeon will ensure you fully understand the procedure’s objectives and its potential dangers. You will be requested to sign a knowledgeable consent form asserting that you know the purpose of the procedure, in addition to the possible difficulties that may arise.
The doctor will as well provide you with information on what to do before the procedure. This could mean that you are not allowed to drink or eat anything for some time, and at times the surgeon may ask you to take a shower on the eve of operation day using a specific soap. On the operation day, a plastic surgeon or dermatologist will remove the cancerous tissue and close the wound to your desired preference.
Administration of the Anesthesia
The doctor can do skin cancer reconstruction under local anesthesia, general anesthesia, or intravenous sedation (also known as MAC (managed anesthesia cure) or “twilight sleep”). Your surgeon will suggest the best choice based on what usually works well for the operation you are undergoing and any other health conditions you might have. In case your plastic surgeon is the one to remove the lesion, he should be performing it at this point. The doctor can eliminate a minor lesion with precise edges with a simpler invasive process referred to as excision.
Removal of the Lesion
The doctor may have already done this in another procedure. If not, a plastic surgeon will be the one to remove the lesion or work with a dermatologist in a particular procedure. If the lesion was minor with well-defined edges, an uncomplicated surgical process referred to as excision might have been used in its removal. Had it been larger without clear boundaries, Mohs’ intervention would probably have been needed.
Closure of the Lesion
In case your procedure was a simple excision, then it was a relatively easy process. However, if more complicated Mohs surgery is needed, there are several options to patch-up the resulting defect that remains after the lesion is eliminated.
Irrespective of the methods used, the plastic surgeon will ensure that the subsequent suture line is situated to follow the normal curves and creases of the face to minimize your scar’s look. After the skin reconstruction procedure you will be observed for a while, and then you will be asked to go home. Some individuals can get a treatment for antibiotics to carry home.
It is essential to discuss with your surgeon the symptoms of the infection and the time to call. Usually, the surgeon may ask you to contact them if you have a fever above 101 degrees Farenheight, which increases pain, redness, or discharge. If you are taking antibiotics, ensure you take them all. Among the essential things you may do to reduce the risk of infection is not to smoke, as smoking affects healing after facial reconstruction.
After the Operation
It is essential to note that for about 15% of people after skin cancer has been removed, reconstruction must take place in at least two phases. This is especially true when certain kinds of flap methods are used. The initial stage re-positions and creates the flap, and the subsequent stage “dissects” or divides the flap from the original position and bloodstream. Therefore, after you have recovered, and the blood supply to the lesion has been adequately established, an additional skin cancer reconstructive surgery might need to be planned to complete the reconstruction.
Operations other than the flap technique might also require additional procedures to achieve the desired cosmetic result. It may be helpful to discuss your cosmetic expectation during a consultation. If you think a full reconstruction may be completed in one operation or if you plan to have more than one surgery please inform your doctor.
More on Reconstructive Surgery
In case you want to learn more about skin cancer removal surgery in Los Angeles, including how it’s performed, your preferences, and what takes place after the surgery, see some photos before and after skin cancer reconstruction. In case you have a frail stomach when viewing medical images, you might want to omit this step. Still, many individuals find it encouraging and reassuring to see how normal features may be reinstated even after severe facial reconstruction surgery in Los Angeles has been performed.
