Assessment of Clinician- and Patient-Reported Outcomes After Mohs Micrographic Surgery.

BACKGROUND

Evaluating postoperative outcomes after Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) necessitates the use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and clinician (± patient) scar assessment tools.

OBJECTIVE

To review patient- and clinician-reported outcome tools that have been developed to evaluate postoperative outcomes that are relevant to MMS.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted to identify patients and clinician-reported outcome tools developed for surgery on the head and neck and for skin cancer surgery (including MMS).

RESULTS

Sixteen articles were included. Five PROMs (dermatology life quality index, Skindex 16/29, skin cancer index [SCI], Skin Cancer Quality of Life Impact Tool/SF, Facial Apperance Related Questionnaire [FACE-Q]) and 5 clinician (± patient) scar assessment tools (Vancouver Scar Scale, Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale [POSAS], Manchester Scar Scale [MSS], Stony Brook Scar Evaluation Scale, Global Cosmetic Rating/Visual Analog Scale) are evaluated in detail. Among PROMs, the SCI and FACE-Q Skin Cancer module have demonstrated the strongest validation for facial skin cancers. Emerging tools, for example, Mohs micrographic surgery reconstruction questionnaire-12, reflect efforts to refine patient-centered outcome assessment specific to MMS. Clinician scar assessment tools remain valuable with POSAS widely regarded for combining objective scar characteristics with patient-reported symptoms. Vancouver Scar Scale and MSS offer structured observer-based evaluations, whereas other tools provide simple early postoperative assessments.

CONCLUSION

Integrating PROMs with clinician-reported scar assessment tools enables a comprehensive, multidimensional understanding of surgical outcomes-capturing both the subjective patient experience and objective clinical metrics.