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DATE & VERSION: 26 August 2004, 11:431.35 |
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NATIONAL GUIDELINE |
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DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD: MidCentral |
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Skin lesions in this document refer to skin cancers, pigmented lesions, non-healing ulcers and other individual skin lesions. |
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CLINICAL PROBLEM
(Clinical Determinants) |
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ACTIONS |
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LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS |
| PIGMENTED LESIONS |
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Clinically suspicious of malignancy |
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Excision biopsy (not incision), full thickness, margins 2mm or greater |
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Discuss with or refer to General Surgery. 4 Excise if clinically appropriate |
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Clinically not malignant |
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Monitor in 1º care |
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See Note 3 |
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Seborrhoeic keratosis |
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Cryotherapy (or excision) only if symptomatic |
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| In exceptional cases, e.g. multiple, rapidly growing or complex lesions, refer to General Surgery. 4 Not to Radiotherapy. |
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| NON-PIGMENTED LESIONS |
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Lesion < 5mm |
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Excision biopsy |
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Refer to General Surgery if assistance required.4 |
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5mm or greater and clinically typical of SCC or BCC or keratoacanthoma |
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Excision, full thickness, margins 2mm or greater with careful follow-up to confirm recurrence does not occur |
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Refer to General or Plastic Surgery or Radiotherapy if assistance required. 4 |
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Clinically suspicious of malignancy or Bowen's disease |
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Punch biopsy |
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Refer to Dermatology, General Surgery or Radiotherapy if assistance required. 4,6 |
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Solar keratosis |
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Monitor for development of SCC |
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See note 3 |
| OR cryotherapy |
Consider punch biopsy 6 or remove. |
| OR 5-FU if numerous |
Discuss with Dermatologist if 5-FU indicated. |
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| HISTOLOGY KNOWN |
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Melanoma |
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Discuss with or refer to Specialist |
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Refer to General or Plastic Surgery. 4 |
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SCC - excised with margin 2mm or greater |
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Monitor in 1º care |
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Review at 3 and 6 months then annually |
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SCC - excised incompletely or with margin < 2mm |
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Complete adequate excision |
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Refer to General or Plastic Surgery. 4 |
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SCC - with regional nodes |
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Specialist assistance |
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Refer to General Surgery or Radiotherapy. 4 |
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Bowen's disease |
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Complete excision or destruction (cautery, cryotherapy)OR 5-FU |
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Discuss with or refer to Dermatology if assistance required 4 |
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BCC - completely excised |
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Monitor in 1º care |
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See Note 3 |
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BCC - incompletely excised |
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Complete excision OR Destruction (curettage and cautery) |
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Refer to General or Plastic Surgery or Radiotherapy if assistance required. 4 |
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Local recurrence |
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Specialist assistance |
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Refer to General or Plastic Surgery or Radiotherapy 4 |
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Keratoacanthoma |
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Complete excision or destruction |
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Refer to General or Plastic Surgery if assistance required. 4 |
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| MISCELLANEOUS |
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Non-healing ulcers |
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If small, excision biopsy
If large, full thickness biopsy of the margin |
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Exclude BCC/SCC. Refer to General Surgery for assistance with diagnosis if necessary. 4 If cancer excluded and no progress with healing after 3 weeks of management, consider referral to MidCentral Health Wound Care Service 5 fax: (06) 350 8039 or e-mail: CentralReferral@midcentral.co.nz |
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Chondrodermatitis nodularis helicis ears |
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Treat conservatively if small OR Specialist assistance for excision |
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If necessary, discuss with or refer to Plastic Surgery or Dermatology for management options and/or assistance with excision. If necessary, discuss with or refer to Plastic Surgery or Dermatology for management options and/or assistance with excision. 4 |
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Pyogenic granuloma |
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Excision or biopsy, cautery with care to destroy feeding blood vessel |
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Refer to General Surgery if assistance required4 |
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Epidermoid cysts
- sebaceous cysts
- pilar (tricholemmal) cysts |
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Treat conservatively if asymptomatic
OR excise completely |
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Options include triamcinolone 20mg injected subcutaneously around lesion. |
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Dermatofibroma |
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Treat conservatively |
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Provide reassurance. Excise if patient wishes. |
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Milia |
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Treat conservatively
OR (rarely) incise and express intact |
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Provide reassurance to patient.
Excise if patient insists. |
