Three-dimensional assessment of surgical excision margins in skin tumor resection biopsies

A new technique for the assessment of adequacy of surgical margins of excision in skin tumor resection biopsies is described. The technique essentially consists of staining the whole fresh or fixed biopsy tissue in eosin followed by Mayer's hematoxylin. Following staining, the epidermal perimeter of the skin ellipse and the deep surgical margin can be assessed using a stereo-microscope. Should areas suspicious of inadequate excision be identified these may be confirmed by directed frozen or paraffin section.