Micrographic surgery of skin cancer in German hospitals 2005-2006.

BACKGROUND/

OBJECTIVE

Surgical therapy of skin cancer includes conventional wide excision and micrographic surgery (MS). Little is known about the population-wide spread of MS for the treatment of skin cancer. The aim was to estimate the in-hospital use of MS for the treatment of skin cancer in Germany.

METHODS

We used nationwide DRG data from 2005 through 2006. We identified hospitalizations with a main diagnosis of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) (ICD-10: C43) or non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) (ICD-10: C44). MS was identified by OPS procedure codes including 5-895.1, 5-895.3, 5-212.1, 5-181.1, 5-181.4, 5-181.6, 5-182.1, 5-091.1, or 5-091.3.

RESULTS

We identified 52 660 and 98 484 hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of CMM and NMSC respectively; 54.6% and 36.5% of NMSC and CMM-related admissions with local skin cancer treatment included MS. The relative frequency of MS varied by anatomic subsite of the skin cancer and by region of the hospital. Local infections were the most frequent complications after MS with 3.2-4.0% for NMSC and 2.3-2.9% for CMM followed by haemorrhages. Dehiscence of the operation wound is a rare event with risks ranging between 0.1% and 0.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

Micrographic surgery is frequently used for the local treatment of NMSC and varies considerably across Federal States of Germany. It is difficult to speculate how many MS might be performed in private or ambulatory settings in Germany. As MS requires surgical expertise, technical support and dermatopathology, we speculate that MS is much less frequently undertaken in private practices in Germany.