Delayed repair of skin cancer defects

Purpose: A review of surgical outcomes in 280 patients who underwent in- office excision of skin lesions, open wound therapy, and delayed reconstruction is presented. Advantages of open wound therapy and delayed reconstruction are discussed. Patients and Methods: The surgical records of all patients treated between January 1, 1994, and December 31, 1996 were evaluated for outcome and complications. Results: One hundred seventeen patients presented with biopsy-confirmed malignant skin lesions of the head and neck. After surgical excision of the malignancy, the wounds were treated with a semiocclusive dressing while waiting for the results of the biopsy report and reconstruction (open wound therapy). Eighty-nine percent of the residual skin defects were repaired within 10 days. The remaining 11% were closed within 35 days. Except for one allergic reaction to neomycin and slight blood oozing from the wound in two patients, no other complications occurred. Conclusions: Open wound therapy is an effective method for managing skin defects after excision of malignant lesions. It is cost-effective and can be done quickly as an in-office procedure under local anesthesia without complications.