Step-by-Step Guide to Wide Surgical Excision

Canine cutaneous mast cell tumours and soft tissue sarcomas are a common presentation in veterinary primary care practice. Prognosis and recurrence rate in these tumour populations is influenced by tumour grade and completeness of surgical excision, with wide surgical excision generally resulting in more favourable outcomes. This lecture will discuss which tumour types and locations are amenable to wide surgical excision, and what alternatives exist when wide excision is not feasible. Using plenty of intra-operative photos and videos, we will discuss in detail how to plan and execute a wide surgical excision with the goal of obtaining complete surgical margins, as well as tips for specimen handling and communication with the pathologist. Finally, methods to prevent some common post operative complications arising from wide excision of cutaneous masses will be discussed.