Sixty-year-old Katherine is having surgery and facial reconstruction to remove a basal cell carcinoma from the corner of her eye.
Katherine adds: “I come from a generation I suppose where suncreams weren’t quite as available as they are now, or people didn’t realise the effects of the sun as they do now.”
It’s been an anxious wait for surgery for Katherine and partner Peter. Katherine will undergo two operations under local anaesthetic.
Dermatologist Tom’s role will be to surgically remove the tumour, once fully removed the hope is Lucy will be able to reconstruct Katherine’s eye area.
Lucy adds: “It is important that we remove this and remove it completely. If it is left a long time, she could potentially lose her sight and potentially even lose her eye. It is a really important area to get treated as soon as possible.”
If Tom doesn’t remove enough skin, the cancer will still remain and, Katherine may need further surgery. If he removes too much, Lucy may struggle to repair the eye.
Tom adds: “As well as covering that wound with skin and getting it to heal, you want that person to have a functional eye, that you they see out of, that is not dry or too watery.”
Tom takes away as much skin as he can, he will need to examine the cancer under a microscope to be sure he has removed it all.
Having removed the tumour from Katherine’s eye, he must now examine the skin to confirm the cancer has all gone. Katherine’s facial reconstruction won’t be able to begin until she is 100% cancer free.
Katherine is only halfway through today’s surgery, repair of the damage caused by the removal of her cancer, is now handed over to eye surgeon, Lucy.
Lucy marks out the area she is hoping to use to reconstruct Katherine’s eye area. One mistake could result in Katherine’s eye not functioning properly or even blindness.
Lucy loosens up the full length of the lower eye lid, to transform it across into the gap made my Tom when he removed the tumour.
In the space of just one shift, Katherine’s eyelid has been repaired and she is totally cancer free.
Following surgery, Katherine’s eye is back to normal. She is enjoying walks again.
