title: Validation of a new technique to freezing and embedding tissue in Mohs surgery, using an animal model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To validate the innovative Dry Ice method, comparing it with two standard methods currently used for tissue processing in Mohs surgery, the Heat Sink method and the Miami Special.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty eight samples of pigs kin with the standard beveled Mohs technique were used, and randomly allocated into six groups. Each group was processed with one of the 3 methods and evaluated for: The freezing time, the depth required to cut into the block to obtain a complete section, and the quality of histological slides analyzed with a image software. The statistical analysis was performed with the software SAS(r) System. The inferential analysis was made by one-way ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Miami Special showed a processing time significantly shorter than Dry Ice method and Heat Sink method. There was no significant difference in the depth required to cut into the blocks, and area of surgical margins visualized.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Dry Ice method was as efficient as the other two methods currently used in Mohs surgery, considering the individual advantages and disadvantages of each method.
authors: Fellow Master degree, Postgraduate Program in Surgical Sciences, Medical School, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil. Conception and design of the study, acquisition of data, manuscript writing.
authors: Frederico Hassin
authors: FH
authors: Sanchez
authors: PhD, Associate Professor, Postgraduate Program in Surgical Sciences, Medical School, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil. Conception and design of the study, critical revision, final approval of the version to be published.
authors: Joaquim
authors: J
authors: Ribeiro
authors: Full Professor, Graduation Program in medicine, Medical School, Universidade Federal Fronteira Sul (UFFS), Chapecó-SC, Brazil. Acquisition of data.
authors: Asdrubal Cesar
authors: AC
authors: Russo
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004367:Dry Ice; D005629:Frozen Sections / Q000379:methods*; D015580:Mohs Surgery / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D013552:Swine; D016610:Tissue Embedding / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004367:Dry Ice