Surgical management of periocular basal cell carcinoma using frozen section control and immediate plastic reconstruction indications and methods

Purpose To review our first experiences with the surgical removal of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) utilizing frozen section control and immediate plastic reconstruction. Patients and Methods We analyzed the accuracy of clinical diagnosis, methods of surgical excision, plastic repair and recurrence rates in 162 consecutive patients who underwent surgical excision utilizing either frozen section (n = 106) or biomicroscopic control(n = 56) between January 1991 and June 1996. Specimens used for intraoperative frozen-section monitoring were also fixed, processed, and sectioned for permanent sections and served as postoperative controls for the frozen sections (n = 43). Results The accuracy of clinical diagnosis was 86% (n = 189). In 106 patients with BCC excised with frozen section control, there were no recurrences reported after a mean follow-up of 2.9 years. The mean surgical defect measured 55% of total eyelid length (range 10%-100%). The incidence of morphea pattern was 34%. Intraoperative re-excisions due to frozen sections positive for tumor were necessary in 31% of cases. Permanent postoperative sections of the tissue that had been used for intraoperative frozen sections confirmed in 97.5% of patients (n = 43) the preliminary findings made with frozen sections. In 56 patients with BCC excised with biomicroscopic control, three tumors recurred (5%) after a mean follow-up of 4.4 years. The mean surgical defect measured 42% of total eyelid length (range 16%-100%). The incidence of morphea type was 23%. Conclusion Surgical removal utilizing frozen section control and immediate plastic repair appears to represent a reliable and effective option in the management of selected patients with periocular BCC.