SIMPLE SKIN CANCER EXCISION (ELLIPTICAL EXCISION)

What is simple skin excision?

After your skin lesion has been confirmed as a skin cancer, your doctor may suggest that you have a surgical excision. There are numerous different techniques of skin cancer excision.
Simplest and most widely used technique is called elliptical excision or simply called “simple excision”. This is the commonest and the most popular method of excising a skin cancer. It also produces one of the most cosmetically satisfying scars.

Most elliptical excisions are performed under local anaesthesia in docto'r surgery.

How is it done ?

Histological Confirmation

• All tissues that are removed/biopsied are sent to a pathology laboratory to be looked at under a microscope. The reason for this routine pathological examination is to be certain of the diagnosis and to check for the completeness of skin cancer remova.
• This may take about a week for the results of your tests to be ready, and a follow-up appointment may be arranged for you.
• This waiting period can be an anxious time and it may help to talk things over with a close friend or relative or your doctor.

Aftercare

• Leave the dressing on and undisturbed for 2 days.
• After 2 days, you can remove the dressing and get it wet (shower).
  • Clean the wound twice a day with antiseptic solution (hydrogen peroxide soaked cotton bud is useful in cleaning the wound).
  • Dry the wound with clean towel or blow drier.
  • Apply Vaseline (moisturiser) on the wound many times during the day (at least 3 times) to allow continuous moisturising of the wound edges.
  • Wound may be left open or covered with clean dressing (such as large bandaid)
    
    
• Sutures are usually removed after 5-14 days.
• Some wound takes little longer to heal.

CASE STUDIES

To view case studies 1-10, click here.