Tissue repair after Mohs surgery. A plastic surgeon's view.

[BACKGROUND] Goals of the treatment for skin cancer include completeness of removal of the lesion, minimal functional disability, and a good aesthetic result. With increasing standards for the quality assurance and the demand for cost-effectiveness, assessment of resource-consuming treatment modalities, especially those involving multidisciplinary approaches, seems appropriate.

[OBJECTIVE] The purpose of this study was to review the strategy of management and the approaches to tissue repair following cutaneous micrographic surgery from the plastic surgeon's point of view.

[METHOD] Retrospective review of personal experience based on approximately 800 patients treated between 1989 and 1996 and current plastic surgery literature.

[RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS] Teamwork with the Mohs surgeon, recognition of the post-Mohs' procedure wound components, and familiarity with reconstructive techniques are essential for the multidisciplinary practice success. The pitfalls of the reconstructive approaches are discussed.