Acta Dermato-Venereologica 99-4CompleteContent | Page 32

BOOK REVIEWS
Facial Reconstruction after Mohs Surgery by Ja-
mes F. Thornton and Jourdan A. Carboy. ISBN:
9781626237346. Hbk. 228 pages, 467 illustrations.
Price: €164.99/US $199.99. New York: Thieme Pu-
blishers, 2018.
In this new book, Thornton, Carboy and 8 other Ame-
rican co-authors present a comprehensive and detailed
review of the most common reconstructive techniques
used after successful skin cancer removal using Mohs
micrographic surgery. The book is divided into 3 parts:
an introduction to the basic reconstructive techniques and
their principles; the most common techniques used for
specific anatomical locations (i.e. scalp, forehead, nose,
eyelids, cheeks, chin, lips and ears); and the management
of complications and revisions. All chapters and techni-
ques are well-illustrated thanks to the many images.
Besides the hard copy, those who have purchased
the book are also supplied with codes to access the full
content as an e-book on the publisher’s website. Using
a separate website and a different code, buyers can also
access 21 videos demonstrating varying techniques de-
scribed in the book. Separate registration processes are
required, but the websites for both digital solutions are re-
latively user-friendly. The videos are a welcome addition
to the book, since they provide further insight into small
details in the surgical steps, as well as practical tips that
are difficult to capture with text and illustrations alone.
As a Mohs surgeon, I found the second part of the
book most interesting, since it focuses more on problem-
solving in specific scenarios according to the surgical
defect’s anatomical location, size and depth. Each chapter
in this section is also introduced with helpful algorithms
guiding the reader to the most effective solution in terms
of functional and cosmetic results, depending on the
clinical scenario. Experienced dermatological surgeons
will also enjoy reading the third part of the book, which
covers the management of complications and revisions,
although this section is rather brief.
The authors’ backgrounds as plastic surgeons may
explain the fact that a surprising amount of their surgery
is performed under general anaesthesia. It may also have
influenced their focus in many chapters on quite advan-
ced techniques, such as the paramedian forehead flap, mi-
crosurgery required for free tissue transfer, or even total
ear reconstruction. For those getting started with Mohs
micrographic surgery, this may be overwhelming, since
the vast majority of such reconstructions are performed
with simpler techniques and under local anaesthesia.
In summary, I can recommend this book to all phy-
sicians using Mohs micrographic surgery, since it covers
the subject of facial reconstruction in an organized way
that is easy to comprehend.
John Paoli, MD, Assoc Prof
Department of Dermatology and Venereology,
Institute of Clinical Sciences,
Sahlgrenska Academy,
University of Gothenburg,
Gothenburg, Sweden
468
doi: 10.2340/00015555-3132
Acta Derm Venereol 2019; 99: 468
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license. www.medicaljournals.se/acta
Journal Compilation © 2019 Acta Dermato-Venereologica.