Preparing For Surgery
mohs surgery
How do I prepare for the day of surgery?
The best preparation for Mohs surgery is a good night's rest followed by breakfast. In most cases, the surgery will be completed on an outpatient basis. If you wish to have an anti-anxiety medication, it will be given to you before the surgery begins. Because you can expect to be here for most of the day, it is wise to bring along a book or magazine. Also, because the day may prove to be quite tiring, it is advisable to have someone accompany you the day of surgery to provide companionship and a ride home. If you are given an anti-anxiety medication, we require that someone else drive you home.
You may be asked to have a preoperative visit to discuss your surgery. At this visit, the technique will be discussed in detail, you will meet the team performing the surgery, a biopsy may be performed (if it has not already been done) and necessary paperwork will be finished (consents, insurance forms, etc.).
If you are coming from a great distance and/or are being referred by a physician familiar with the technique, you may be referred directly for Mohs surgery without a preoperative visit. If you are new to our clinic then a map and travel instructions are included with this booklet, in addition to a questionnaire
concerning allergies, medications, and medical history. Please fill this out and bring it with you on the day of surgery.
We request that you stop taking any aspirin or ibuprofen compounds (like Anacin, Bufferin, Advil or Motrin) at least one week before your surgery. This is because it may interfere with the normal blood clotting mechanism, making you bleed more than normal during surgery. If your doctor recommends aspirin please verify with your doctor before discontinuing aspirin. Alcohol, Vitamin E, ginko biloba and garlic pills also increase your bleeding risk, so please discontinue taking these at least one week prior to surgery.
Most insurance carriers cover the cost of Mohs surgery and reconstruction. Please be prepared to give insurance information to our billing office and bring any forms with you that may need processing. We can counsel you concerning your insurance coverage at the time of surgery. If your insurance plan requires pre-approval or an HMO referral, please help us to make sure this is in place prior to your surgery.
