[Moh's micrographic surgery: first experience in Israel]

Moh's micrographic surgery is a method by which cancer of the skin may be excised under complete microscopic control. It consistently offers the highest cure rate in the treatment of malignancy of the skin, while the least amount of uninvolved tissue is sacrificed. This, the first center for Moh's micrographic surgery in Israel, started functioning in 1989. The first 50 patients included 33 women (average age 50.7 years) and 17 men (average age 60.6 years) suffering from basal cell carcinoma of the face. 56% of the patients were referred for Moh's surgery after failure of other primary treatments, and the rest were referred due to the problematic location of the lesion or its size. 13 patients (28%) were referred after previous treatment with solcoderm (Mardi's method). In these patients the lesions were especially deep and aggressive.