Five-year outcomes of wide excision and Mohs micrographic surgery for primary lentigo maligna in an academic practice cohort.

Background: Wide local excision with 5-mm margins is the standard of care for lentigo maligna (LM). Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is used increasingly to treat this tumor.

Objective: To study the authors' experience with these 2 approaches.

Incidence of lentigo maligna in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1970 to 2007.

Background: The incidence of lentigo maligna (LM) may be increasing, but no population-based epidemiologic studies have been performed to our knowledge.

Objective: We sought to determine the incidence of LM in Olmsted County, Minnesota, along with overall and recurrence-free survival.

Methods: Using the Rochester Epidemiology Project, we identified all adult residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, with a first lifetime diagnosis of LM between 1970 and 2007.

Current procedural terminology coding for Mohs micrographic surgery.

Accurate surgical current procedural terminology (CPT) coding allows for proper reimbursement, decreases the possibility of being audited, and decreases the likelihood of inadvertently misrepresenting a claim. The CPT codes describe the type of services provided to a patient. CPT modifiers provide information to insurance payers to assure that the provider is reimbursed correctly.

The management of mucous membrane pemphigoid and pemphigus.

Mucous membrane pemphigoid and pemphigus vulgaris are autoimmune blistering disorders in which many similar drugs and therapeutic strategies are utilized. In general, localized disease can be treated with topical agents. In contrast, patients with more severe and progressive disease usually require a combination of systemic corticosteroids and immunosuppressive medications.