Second bcc op needed on nose - should I travel afar to have MOHS procedure, or have it done locally in the old fashioned way?

Hi Puckettyboo

All the best for tomorrow

Can I ask what 'slow mohs' is please as I haven't heard of it before?

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Slow mohs is very similar to mohs but instead of reconstructing the wound on the day they send it to histology and then put a dressing on the wound.

Once histology is back they do the reconstruction so it's just a matter of waiting a couple of weeks with a dressing on the wound.

It's a longer process but I didn't want to be in a situation where I was told I had positive margins and needed the procedure again.

It might be worth asking your consultant if it would be appropriate in your case

Sorry

I've just realised I wasn't replying to Woodsider.

Sorry latchbrook

Still waiting for my call to go for surgery. Slow MOHS sounds a good idea - I'll definitely ask about it but suspect that it won't be available. I'm just trying to enjoy my last few weeks of 'normality'. I'm expecting the worst as the doc said that the outcome of the second op won't be as good as the first. As my mum used to say "looks aren't everything"! They are important though...

Hi Woodside

Looks arnt everything but we still don't like to have scars do we?

Slow mohs will still leave a scar but surgery won't be reconstructed until I they have clear margins which should set your mind to rest.

I hope it's available for you 

I had Mohs surgery for a basal cell carcinoma on the right hand side of my nose on the fleshy part. I was told Mohs surgery would be the best for me and traditional surgery wasn't suggested as an option so I can't really offer any advice about which is best. I felt reassured by the Mohs surgery as they were sure that all the cells had gone before beginning the process of reconstruction the following week. I had to go to a different hospital in the next county which was a 4 hour round trip. I was lucky that I had someone to drive me back and forth so that might be something else to consider when making a decision.

I met the surgeon when he was holding clinics at my local hospital where I had been diagnosed and felt confident about his expertise. He did tell me there was a big waiting list as they had been delaying surgeries at the height of the pandemic and were trying to catch up and I might need to wait anything up to a year for the surgery. I asked about going private but the surgeon said that there were also waiting lists for it to be done privately and it would mean going to London which was much further away. He told me to save my money and wait for the surgery on the NHS as there wouldn't be any adverse effect for me in waiting with my particular diagnosis. Luckily I got an appointment about 3 months later.

It's a shame that mohs surgery isn't more readily available at more hospitals but I would assume that the doctors will advise the most appropriate treatment for your particular situation.