List the number of surgeries you have had from birth to now!

[tvguy]

My MOH’s surgery required about 100 shots to my forehead and scraping it down to my skull, followed by a skin graft from below by navel, and plastic surgery, where I was completely out. Took about 10 hours.

Is that MOHs, or actual surgery? I thought MOHs was when they just removed a few affected layers of skin. Not down to the skull. No grafts.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Is that MOHs, or actual surgery? I thought MOHs was when they just removed a few affected layers of skin. Not down to the skull. No grafts.

Depends on how much as to be removed. My brother-in-law started with "just" a couple of layers, and has now had his 3rd surgery with dollar-sized wound that required stitches.

But it's called Mohs surgery on most publications I've seen. I believe that means it's considered surgery.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

Is that MOHs, or actual surgery? I thought MOHs was when they just removed a few affected layers of skin. Not down to the skull. No grafts.

It was MOH’s surgery. I assume they had no idea how far they were going to have to go. I got sent back to the waiting room once with my head wrapped up and then found out they had to go back in. It was pretty bad. I remember laying there and hearing them scraping my skull. Now that’s something you won’t forget.

 

[tvguy]

It was MOH’s surgery. I assume they had no idea how far they were going to have to go. I got sent back to the waiting room once with my head wrapped up and then found out they had to go back in. It was pretty bad. I remember laying there and hearing them scraping my skull. Now that’s something you won’t forget.

Yeah, same here. Scraped, waiting room, scraped again, bandaged, sent home. There about an hour.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

Yeah, same here. Scraped, waiting room, scraped again, bandaged, sent home. There about an hour.

You were fortunate. It was 2 rounds of major scraping for me, immediately followed by a skin graft and plastic surgery. 10 long hours.

 

[tvguy]

You were fortunate. It was 2 rounds of major scraping for me, immediately followed by a skin graft and plastic surgery. 10 long hours.

I guess. Was your procedure done in office? Mine was. And the only person I saw other than the receptionist was the Doctor. No assistant or anything.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

I guess. Was your procedure done in office? Mine was. And the only person I saw other than the receptionist was the Doctor. No assistant or anything.

It was a branch of the Cleveland Clinic. Had Doctor and asst during Moh’s and an operation room full of people, I’d say at least 10, for my skin graft and plastic surgery.

 

[tvguy]

It was a branch of the Cleveland Clinic. Had Doctor and asst during Moh’s and an operation room full of people, I’d say at least 10, for my skin graft and plastic surgery.

Mine was done in an exam room of the Dermatologists office. There are three Doctors in the practice. Two who do exams and biopsies. One who does MOHs. The biopsy was far worse for me than the removal of the cancer. Biopsy bled for 3 days and hurt. There was a three month wait for the removal, no pain and no bleeding with that.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

Mine was done in an exam room of the Dermatologists office. There are three Doctors in the practice. Two who do exams and biopsies. One who does MOHs. The biopsy was far worse for me than the removal of the cancer. Biopsy bled for 3 days and hurt. There was a three month wait for the removal, no pain and no bleeding with that.

I was very fortunate to personally know an oncologist who I went to and he immediately scheduled an MRI and from there I had my MOH’s surgery, skin graft and plastic surgery in 6 days total. My biopsy was done just a few days earlier.

 

[WAstateDVCDaddy]

2 impacted wisdom teeth - had all 4 of them removed, then went into the office and worked the rest of my shift. Probably shouldn’t have, since I was an account manager, working with customers on the phone all day!

I’ve been fortunate - that’s it so far. One in 50+ years.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Interesting thread.

“The origin of the word surgery comes from the Latin 'chirurgia', which in turn comes from the Greek 'cheir-' and 'ergon', literally meaning 'hand' and 'work'.’

Definition of Surgery from the American Medical Association
https://policysearch.ama-assn.org/policyfinder/detail/surgery?uri=/AMADoc/HOD.xml-0-4317.xml

Our AMA adopts the following definition of 'surgery' from American College of Surgeons Statement ST-11:

Surgery is performed for the purpose of structurally altering the human body by the incision or destruction of tissues and is part of the practice of medicine. Surgery also is the diagnostic or therapeutic treatment of conditions or disease processes by any instruments causing localized alteration or transposition of live human tissue which include lasers, ultrasound, ionizing radiation, scalpels, probes, and needles. The tissue can be cut, burned, vaporized, frozen, sutured, probed, or manipulated by closed reductions for major dislocations or fractures, or otherwise altered by mechanical, thermal, light-based, electromagnetic, or chemical means. Injection of diagnostic or therapeutic substances into body cavities, internal organs, joints, sensory organs, and the central nervous system also is considered to be surgery (this does not include the administration by nursing personnel of some injections, subcutaneous, intramuscular, and intravenous, when ordered by a physician). All of these surgical procedures are invasive, including those that are performed with lasers, and the risks of any surgical procedure are not eliminated by using a light knife or laser in place of a metal knife, or scalpel.

Patient safety and quality of care are paramount and, therefore, patients should be assured that individuals who perform these types of surgery are licensed physicians (defined as doctors of medicine or osteopathy) who meet appropriate professional standards.

Moh’s is most definitely is a surgery.

Cardiac catheterizations and colonoscopies are diagnostic, but during the time they’re in there they can also do things, like ablations, stents, angioplasties, etc. (in the case of cardiac caths) and remove things like polyps and tumors (in the case of colonoscopies) so they can also be therapeutic.

By definition biopsies can also be considered surgical.

I’ve had breast and neck biopsies
Endoscopy
Hysterosalpingogram
D&E
Caesarean Section
Partial mastectomy
Hysterectomy/Oopherectomy/Salpingectomy
Recent cortisone injection to rotator cuff after a fall on ice

BTW you should see the daily surgical schedule at the hospital where I work!

 

[jlmarr]

Two