Keep it simple. A ten-year experience in reconstructions after Mohs micrographic surgery

Abstract Background: Mohs micrographic surgery is worldwide used for treating skin cancers. After obtaining tumor-free margins, choosing the most appropriate type of closure can be challenging. Objectives: Our aim was to associate type of surgical reconstructions after Mohs micrographic surgery with the characteristics of the tumors as histological subtype, anatomical localization and especially number of surgical stages to achieve complete excision of the tumour. Methods: Transversal, retrospective analyses of medical records. Compilation of data such as gender, age, tumor location, histological subtype, number of stages to achieve clear margins and type of repair used. Results: A total of 975 of facial and extra-facial cases were analyzed. Linear closure was the most common repair by far (39%) and was associated with the smallest number of Mohs micrographic surgery stages. This type of closure was also more common in most histological subtypes and anatomical locations studied. Using Poisson regression model, nose defects presented 39% higher frequency of other closure types than the frequency of primary repairs, when compared to defects in other anatomic sites (p< 0.05). Tumors with two or more stages had a 28.6% higher frequency of other closure types than those operated in a single stage (p< 0.05). Study limitations: Retrospective study with limitations in obtaining information from medical records. The choice of closure type can be a personal choice. Conclusions: Primary closure should not be forgotten especially in surgical defects with fewer stages and in non-aggressive histological subtypes in main anatomic sites where Mohs micrographic surgery is performed.

Keep it simple. A ten-year experience in reconstructions after Mohs micrographic surgery.

BACKGROUND: Mohs micrographic surgery is worldwide used for treating skin cancers. After obtaining tumor-free margins, choosing the most appropriate type of closure can be challenging. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to associate type of surgical reconstructions after Mohs micrographic surgery with the characteristics of the tumors as histological subtype, anatomical localization and especially number of surgical stages to achieve complete excision of the tumour. METHODS: Transversal, retrospective analyses of medical records. Compilation of data such as gender, age, tumor location, histological subtype, number of stages to achieve clear margins and type of repair used. RESULTS: A total of 975 of facial and extra-facial cases were analyzed. Linear closure was the most common repair by far (39%) and was associated with the smallest number of Mohs micrographic surgery stages. This type of closure was also more common in most histological subtypes and anatomical locations studied. Using Poisson regression model, nose defects presented 39% higher frequency of other closure types than the frequency of primary repairs, when compared to defects in other anatomic sites (p < 0.05). Tumors with two or more stages had a 28.6% higher frequency of other closure types than those operated in a single stage (p < 0.05). STUDY LIMITATIONS: Retrospective study with limitations in obtaining information from medical records. The choice of closure type can be a personal choice. CONCLUSIONS: Primary closure should not be forgotten especially in surgical defects with fewer stages and in non-aggressive histological subtypes in main anatomic sites where Mohs micrographic surgery is performed.

Retalhos cirúrgicos para fechamento de defeitos faciais sincrônicos / Surgical flaps for closing synchronous facial defects

Poucas são as descrições da literatura sobre técnicas cirúrgicas para fechamento de defeitos sincrônicos na face. Relatamos três casos de pacientes com lesões sincrônicas na face, que foram reconstruídas utilizando-se os seguintes tipos de retalhos: dupla rotação Yin-Yang, avanço de dois triângulos de Burrow e combinação de retalho dorsal nasal associado a retalho de transposição. As reconstruções de defeitos sincrônicos na face representam desafios aos cirurgiões dermatológicos, especialmente quando uma das lesões se localiza no nariz. Nos casos que envolvem defeitos relativamente pequenos e não tão distantes entre si, há a possibilidade de se realizar um retalho único para fechamento de ambos os defeitos.

There are a few descriptions in the literature on surgical techniques for the closure of synchronous facial defects. We report three cases of patients with synchronous lesions on the face, which were reconstructed using the following types of flaps: Yin-Yang double-opposing rotation; Burrow's triangle advancement; and a combination of the dorsal nasal flap with the transposition flap. Reconstructions of synchronous facial defects represent challenges to dermatologic surgeons, especially when one of the lesions is located in the nose. In cases involving relatively small defects and not so far apart, there is the possibility of a single flap to close both defects.

Basal cell carcinoma treated with Mohs micrographic surgery in young Ibero-American patients.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in younger individuals has increased in recent decades. However, the characteristics of BCCs in this population, especially in Ibero-Latin American countries, have not been completely defined. OBJECTIVE: To describe the demographic, clinical, and histopathological characteristics of BCCs in patients younger than 40 treated with Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective study conducted between January 2009 and December 2014, in five Ibero-American countries, included biopsy-proven BCCs in patients younger than 40 that were treated with MMS. Demographic, clinical, histopathological, and surgical characteristics were described. RESULTS: The study included 301 tumors in 241 patients, of whom 61% were female. The most common Fitzpatrick phototype was III. The most common histological subtypes were nodular (37.5%) and infiltrative (18.9%). Perineural invasion was encountered in 1.7%, and tumor clearance was achieved in 87.4% within two stages of MMS. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first Ibero-Latin American transnational study describing the characteristics of BCCs in young patients treated with MMS. Despite darker skin phototypes in this population, BCCs can occur in early ages and may present with aggressive features. Therefore, MMS may be considered an appropriate first-line treatment option in this population.

Necrose cutânea do tecido enxertado decorrente de tabagismo / Necrosis of skin graft entailed by smoking habits

A cicatrização adequada das feridas cirúrgicas é influenciada pela técnica operatória, pela presença de intercorrências pós-cirúrgicas e pelos hábitos de vida do paciente. Relatamos caso de paciente submetido a exérese de carcinoma basocelular por cirurgia micrográfica de Mohs e reconstrução com enxertia cutânea palpebral. No pós-operatório houve necrose do enxerto devido má perfusão do leito cirúrgico imputada ao tabagismo. O tabagismo interfere na embebição plasmática e neovascularização do enxerto, além de promover estresse oxidativo e disfunção endotelial. O cirurgião deve orientar a suspensão do tabagismo por pelo menos quatro semanas antes do procedimento, a fim de evitar maiores riscos de complicações.

Adequate healing of surgical wounds is influenced by the operative technique, the presence of postoperative complications, and the patient's life style. The authors of the present paper report the case of a patient who underwent excision of a basal cell carcinoma by Mohs micrographic surgery and reconstruction with palpebral skin grafting. The graft necrosed in the postoperative period due to poor perfusion of the surgical bed, correlated to smoking habits. Smoking interferes with plasma perfusion and graft neovascularization, and promotes oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. Surgeons should recommend the cessation of smoking for at least 4 weeks prior to the procedure in order to avoid further risks of complications.

Acne vulgaris: prevalence and clinical forms in adolescents from São Paulo, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Acne is a common disease in adolescents, but there are no epidemiological data for acne in Brazil. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence and degree of acne in adolescents from Sao Paulo and study socio-demographic factors, family history and lifestyle, associated with the disease. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 452 adolescents aged between 10 and 17 (mean=13.3 years), students from elementary and high school, examined by 3 independent evaluators. RESULTS: 62.4% were female, 85.8% white and 6.4% were aged 14. The prevalence was 96.0% and increased with age--all students over 14 had acne. The most prevalent form of acne was comedonal (61.1%), followed by mild (30.6%) and moderate (7.6%) papular-pustular, which affected mostly the face (97.5%). About half of the adolescents reported family history for acne in mother or father, and 20.6% reported previous treatment for acne. There was a higher chance of presenting non-comedonal acne with increased age (p<0.001). DISCUSSION: The prevalence of acne in adolescents varies widely due to the clinical features and diagnostic methods used. Adolescents whose brothers/sisters had acne (OR=1.7-p=0.027) and those over 13 (OR=8.3-p<0.001), were more likely to have non-comedonal acne. CONCLUSION: This study showed high prevalence of acne in adolescents from Sao Paulo, predominantly the comedonal form on the face, with a higher chance of presenting non-comedonal acne with increased age.

Acne vulgaris: prevalence and clinical forms in adolescents from São Paulo, Brazil

BACKGROUND: Acne is a common disease in adolescents, but there are no epidemiological data for acne in Brazil. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence and degree of acne in adolescents from Sao Paulo and study socio-demographic factors, family history and lifestyle, associated with the disease. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 452 adolescents aged between 10 and 17 (mean=13.3 years), students from elementary and high school, examined by 3 independent evaluators. RESULTS: 62.4% were female, 85.8% white and 6.4% were aged 14. The prevalence was 96.0% and increased with age - all students over 14 had acne. The most prevalent form of acne was comedonal (61.1%), followed by mild (30.6%) and moderate (7.6%) papular-pustular, which affected mostly the face (97.5%). About half of the adolescents reported family history for acne in mother or father, and 20.6% reported previous treatment for acne. There was a higher chance of presenting non-comedonal acne with increased age (p<0.001). DISCUSSION: The prevalence of acne in adolescents varies widely due to the clinical features and diagnostic methods used. Adolescents whose brothers/sisters had acne (OR=1.7-p=0.027) and those over 13 (OR=8.3-p<0.001), were more likely to have non-comedonal acne. CONCLUSION: This study showed high prevalence of acne in adolescents from Sao Paulo, predominantly the comedonal form on the face, with a higher chance of presenting non-comedonal acne with increased age. .

Microscopia confocal no diagnóstico das lesões róseas da face / Confocal microscopy in the diagnosis of pink facial lesions

As lesões róseas solitárias da face podem apresentar padrão dermatoscópico inespecífico, sendo assim consideradas de difícil diagnóstico. Os diagnósticos diferenciais a considerar são: ceratose actínica, carcinoma espinocelular, carcinoma basocelular e melanoma amelanótico. A microscopia confocal pode ser utilizada como exame clínico auxiliar na realização do diagnóstico e na determinação dos locais mais significativos para se fazer uma biópsia. Apresentamos um caso para exemplificar a utilidade do exame de microscopia confocal nas pink lesions.

Solitary pink lesions of the face may have nonspecific dermoscopic patterns, and are thus deemed difficult to diagnose. Differential diagnoses to consider are: actinic keratosis, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and amelanotic melanoma. Confocal microscopy can be used as an auxiliary clinical examination in their diagnosis and in determining the most significant sites for carrying out a biopsy. The authors describe a case that illustrates the usefulness of a confocal microscopy examination in pink lesions.

Cirurgia micrográfica de Mohs / Mohs micrographic surgery

A cirurgia de Mohs foi primeiramente descrita por Frederic Mohs para eliminar os tumores de pele de alto risco. Com a técnica de Mohs os médicos conseguem enxergar além da lesão visível, para identificar com precisão e remover todo o tumor, camada por camada, enquanto deixa a pele não comprometida ao redor intacta e sem danos. Com um método mais preciso e seguro de remoção de tumor se minimiza a chance de recrescimento e diminui o potencial de cicatrização inestética e desfigurante.

Cirurgia Micrográfica de Mohs para preservação tecidual nas cirurgias oncológicas da face / Mohs micrographic surgery fot tissues preservation in facial oncologic surgery

Introdução: Os cânceres de pele mais comuns são os carcinomas basocelulares, que ocorrem frequentemente na face.Os pacientes se preocupam muito com os danos estéticos e funcionais, sendo a cirurgia micrográfica de Mohs terapêutica segura que permite preservação tecidual com mínimos danos estéticos. Objetivo: Avaliar se o uso da cirurgia de Mohs no tratamento dos carcinomas basocelulares, localizados em áreas esteticamente importantes da face, preserva tecido sadio.Métodos: Foram incluídas 49 cirurgias para tratar tumores com localização peribucal, periocular, orelha e asa nasal, em 2008, na Faculdade de Medicina do ABC. Os tumores foram agrupados conforme características clínicas e histológicas, e as margens obtidas foram analisadas e comparadas com as recomendadas pela literatura. Os pacientes foramreavaliados após dois anos. Resultados: As medianas das margens removidas com a cirurgia de Mohs foram muito menores do que as recomendadas para cirurgia excisional, com importante preservaçãotecidual. Conclusão: A cirurgia de Mohs permitiu importante preservação de tecido sadio (56%-86%) no tratamento dos carcinomas basocelulares localizados em áreas esteticamente importantes face, com mínimos danos. Indicamos a cirurgia de Mohs como opção terapêutica segura e estética no tratamento dos carcinomas basocelulares faciais.

Introduction: The most common type of skin cancer is basocellular carcinoma, which frequently occurs on the face.Aesthetic and functional damage during treatment are of great concern to patients; Mohs Micrographic Surgery is a safe treatment that allows tissular preservation with minimum aesthetic damage. Objective:To evaluate whether using Mohs Micrographic Surgery to treat basocellular carcinomas located in aesthetically important areas of the face preserves healthy tissue. Methods: Surgical procedures (n = 49) performed in the ABC Medical School in 2008 to treat tumors located in the peribuccal, periocular and alar areas, and in the ears, were evaluated.The tumors were classified according to clinical and histological features, and the surgical margins were analyzed and compared to those recommended by the literature.The patients were re-evaluated 2 years after treatment. Results: The margins removed by Mohs Micrographic Surgery were much smaller than those recommended for excisional surgery, with important tissular preservation. Conclusion: Mohs Micrographic Surgery permitted the preservation of healthy tissue (56-86%) in the treatment of basocellular carcinomas located in aesthetically important areas of the face, with minimal damage.Thus it is a safe therapeutic and aesthetical option in the treatment of facial basocellular carcinomas.

Fatores preditivos do maior número de estádios na cirurgia micrográfica de Mohs para o tratamento do carcinoma espinocelular da cabeça / Predictors of higher number of stages in Mohs micrographic surgery for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head

FUNDAMENTOS: Os carcinomas espinocelulares da pele da cabeça têm como opção terapêutica mais segura a cirurgia micrográfica de Mohs, que apresenta os menores índices de recidiva e a máxima preservação tecidual. Características dos carcinomas espinocelulares podem estar relacionadas a maior número de estádios cirúrgicos. OBJETIVO: Definir características dos carcinomas espinocelulares que sejam preditoras de maior número de estádios na cirurgia de Mohs. MÉTODOS: Análise retrospectiva de 51 carcinomas espinocelulares da cabeça tratados pela cirurgia de Mohs para determinar fatores de risco de maior número de estádios. Foram analisados limites clínicos, morfologia, recidiva, histologia e tamanho, relacionando-os ao número de estádios cirúrgicos. A análise estatística foi realizada pelo teste exato de Fisher e regressão logística multivariada. RESULTADOS: Os carcinomas recidivados tiveram tendência a maior número de estádios (p=0,081). Os tumores com limites imprecisos apresentaram três vezes mais possibilidades de maior número de fases na análise da razão de chances. Esse achado foi compatível com dados da literatura, apesar de não ter sido estatisticamente significante. CONCLUSÃO: Características pré-operatórias dos carcinomas espinocelulares, como recidiva e limites imprecisos, apesar de não preditivas, indicaram tendência a maior número de estádios na cirurgia micrográfica de Mohs.

BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinomas of the skin of the head are better treated with Mohs micrographic surgery which has the lowest recurrence rates and allows spare normal tissue. There are some characteristics of squamous cell carcinoma that can be related to a higher number of surgical stages. OBJECTIVE: To study characteristic of head squamous cell carcinoma that predicts a higher number of Mohs surgical stages. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 51 squamous cell carcinomas of the head treated with Mohs surgery was performed to determine risk factors for a higher number of surgical stages. The characteristics analyzed were clinical limits, morphology, recurrence, histological differentiation and size and compared to the number of surgical stages. The analysis was performed by Fisher’s exact test and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: The recurrent squamous cell carcinomas showed a tendency for a higher number of stages (p=0,081). The Odds Ratio for a higher number of Mohs stages was three for inaccurate limits; although not statistically significant,it corroborates clinical and previous publication. CONCLUSION: Clinical characteristics of squamous cell carcinoma as recurrence and inaccurate limits would not predict, but could indicate tendency of a higher number of Mohs micrographic surgery stages.