Mohs Surgery

Mohs micrographic surgery at UC Davis

The UC Davis Department of Dermatology includes two full-time Mohs surgeons: Daniel Eisen, M.D. and Jayne Joo, M.D.

Dr. Eisen, is the director of the of Mohs and dermatologic surgery, is a board-certified dermatologist and a fellow of the American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology. He received his Mohs fellowship training with Drs. Lawrence Warshawski and David Zloty at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Dr. Eisen has published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international dermatology meetings. As an Associate Professor of Clinical Dermatology, Dr. Eisen lectures to the UC Davis residents on a variety of topics, from general surgery techniques to anesthetics. He also specializes in Aesthetic Dermatology and Surgery. His academic interests include hidradenitis suppurativa, surgical outcome studies and medical education.

Mohs surgery is state-of-the-art treatment for skin cancer in which the physician serves as pathologist and reconstructive surgeon.

Method

• Remove the visible portion of the tumor.
• A thin layer of skin is removed and divided into sections, color-coded, and frozen.
• A map is drawn of the affected area.
• Each section is examined under the microscope for evidence of remaining cancer.
• If cancer cells are found, another thin layer is removed from the mapped area and again examined. This process is repeated until there is no longer any evidence of cancer cells.

Advantages

• Offers highest cure rate.
• Has the lowest chance of regrowth.
• Minimizes removal of noncancerous tissue.
• Is the most precise means of removal.