[Mohs micrographic surgery in two children with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans]. / Chirurgie micrographique de Mohs dans le dermatofibrosarcome de Darier-Ferrand de l'enfant.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is a rare low-grade malignant tumor. The pseudopodia structure of the tumor requires 3-5 cm surgical margins. Mohs micrographic surgery (MMC) can reduce these margins to 1.3 cm while controlling all the histological excision margins. Children seem to be a good indication for this technique because it reduces the amount of skin removed. We report 2 cases of pediatric DFS treated with CMM to illustrate the usefulness of this technique in pediatrics. Two girls, aged 12 and 13 years, had a dermatofibrosarcoma located on the breast and sternum, respectively. CMM was proposed. One operative session was needed with direct closure in a second phase. MMS is a useful surgical technique for childhood tumors. If dermatofibrosarcoma is a very good indication in children, other skin tumors could benefit from this approach.

[Treatment of dermatofibroma protuberans with fixed Mohs' micrographic surgery]. / Dermatofibrosarcome de Darier Ferrand: traitement par chirurgie micrographique de Mohs avec inclusion en paraffine.

INTRODUCTION: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is a tumor of intermediate malignancy characterized by its aggressive local growth due to pseudopodium-like outgrowths and marked propensity to recur after surgical excision. To achieve complete cure with conventional surgery, surgical margins up to 5 cm are required, leading to wide scars. Mohs' micrographic surgery is used for the removal of certain malignant tumors, both ensuring complete excision by examination of all margins as well as minimizing normal tissue loss. However, differentiating minimal residual tumor from normal skin can be difficult on the frozen sections used in Mohs' micrographic surgery. Our aim was to develop a procedure of Mohs' micrographic surgery in conjunction with rush formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tangential sections. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ten consecutive cases have been prospectively treated since 1998. Under local anesthesia, the tumor was first excised including lateral margin of 1 cm and a deep margin including the underlying muscle aponevrosis. A 2 to 3 mm thick horizontal section of the surgical bed was then removed, rush formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, tangentially sectioned, hematin-eosin stained, and eventually stained with an anti-CD34 monoclonal antibody. While waiting for pathology results, the surgical bed was not definitively closed. If excision was incomplete, an oriented complementary excision was performed. RESULTS: Excision was complete after the first stage in 7 patients and incomplete only deeply in 3. Lateral surgical margins were reduced to 1.3 cm in all patients, facilitating wound closure: direct suture (5 patients), controlled wound healing (3 patients) or flap coverage (2 patients). No recurrence has been observed after a mean follow-up of 26 months. DISCUSSION: The use of Mohs' micrographic surgery in conjunction with rush formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tangential sections reduce surgical margins in dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. This procedure would be interesting in difficult sites, such as the genitalia, the breast, or the periarticular regions. Other cases, and longer follow-up are however necessary to validate this promising technique.

[Mohs' micrographic surgery: history, principles, critical analysis of its efficacy and indications]. / Historique, principes, analyse critique de l'efficacité et indications de la chirurgie micrographique de Mohs.

OBJECTIVES: To systematically review the literature for studies reporting on the role of Mohs' micrographic (MMS) surgery in the treatment of skin tumors. To show how it is performed in France. DESIGN: We reviewed with a quality grid all studies indexed in MEDLINE before 2003/01/01 and published in English or French. Data were extracted by two independent reviewers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Quality of clinical studies, recurrence rates, number of patients lost to follow-up. RESULTS: No randomized study was found among the 493 references found. Studies of lower quality, on procedures similar to MMS, or previous systematic reviews were therefore selected. In tumors such as basal (BCC) or spinous (SCC) cell carcinoma, microcystic adnexal carcinoma, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, and Merkel cell carcinoma, MMS commonly induced lower recurrence rates than figures reported for conventional treatments and/or reduced surgical margins. Studies on melanoma were of low quality. CONCLUSIONS: Although no evidence-based guidelines could be developed, MMS should be used mainly for larger, morphea, micronodular or infiltrative-type, or recurrent BCCs located in danger zones, but also (sometimes with a slightly modified procedure) in microcystic adnexal carcinomas, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, Merkel cell carcinoma, and in aggressive forms of SCC. Randomized, controlled studies should be performed.

[Surgical injury of the temporo-frontal branch of the facial nerve. Anatomical study and clinical consequences]. / Traumatisme chirurgical du rameau temporo-frontal du nerf facial. Etude anatomique et conséquences cliniques.

The frequency of frontal paralysis due to surgical trauma of the temporo-frontal nerve seems to be increasing due to the growing number of operations in the temporo-frontal area and the complexity of surgical techniques. A series of 20 anatomical dissections demonstrates the course of the temporo-frontal nerve. Frontal myomectomy of the healthy side to allow facial equilibration seems to us to be the best technique of reconstructive surgery for definitive frontal paralysis.