The Team of Dr. Thomas Stasko/Dr. Bruce Shack Performed the Mohs Surgery/Reconstruction at Vandebilt Hospital - Nashville, TN

I was diagnosed with melanoma on the right side of my nose by a local dermatologist in May of 2012. He referred me to Dr. Stasko, Mohs surgeon at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. My diagnosis was "in situ". Therefore our plan was that Dr. Stasko would do both the Mohs surgery and reconstruction the same day. The plan changed, to remove the entire melanoma, even though it was tissue thin in the basil skin layer only, it covered the entire right side of my nose into the right nostril. Removal of the melanoma required 6 hours. The complete excision was performed with local anesthetic. Dr. Stasko called Dr. Bruce Shack, Department head of Plastic Surgery at Vanderbilt. Dr. Shack waited for me to travel from one building to another immediately after Mohs surgery. He examine my defect and scheduled me for surgery the next day. Dr. Shack performed a forehead flap that covered the entire right side of my nose to my cheek and wrapped into the right nostril. I had my third surgery to debulk my graft three months ago in March 2013. I am amazed at the results. I do have a scar on my nose from the most recent surgery but it diminishes weekly. My friends are amazed at the results! My advice is find an optimal team of surgeons and go for it. My surgeons were the best of the best!