Wide Excision for Melanoma

Overview
Wide excision — also known as wide local excision ‚ is a surgical procedure used to treat melanoma. It entails removing a tumor along with a margin of healthy skin and tissue around it. The primary goal is to ensure complete removal of the cancerous cells and prevent recurrence (cancer returning).

What does it involve?
In wide excision, the surgeon cuts out the melanoma and a surrounding margin of normal skin. The size of this margin depends on various factors, such as the depth of the melanoma and its location on the body.

This surgery is generally performed under local anesthesia, which numbs the area,, but general anesthesia — which puts a person to sleep for the duration of the surgery — is sometimes used. After the affected tissue is removed, the surgical area is closed — usually with stitches, though skin grafts are sometimes necessary. 

A person is usually able to go home following a wide excision. Be sure to follow your surgeon’s instructions for wound care.

Side effects
Risks associated with wide excision include infection, scarring at the surgical site, bleeding, and healing problems. There might be short-term pain, swelling, and bruising at the surgical site. Allergic reactions to anesthesia, though rare, can also occur. 

For more details about this treatment, visit:
Wide Local Excision — Melanoma Focus Wide Local Excision — Saint John’s Cancer Institute