We offer a wide range of minor surgery procedures at our clinic, carried out by our doctors who have undertaken advanced postgraduate training in skin cancer medicine and surgery. We conduct regular surgical clinics, at least three days per week, thus ensuring waiting times are kept to a minimum.
We accept referrals from GPs and other healthcare providers, and patients are also welcome to contact us directly to arrange a consultation. For some skin cancer procedures funding is available for patients in the Otago/Southland region through the WellSouth primary health network – this is usually accessed via a referral from your GP.
Due to our status as full members of the New Zealand Skin Cancer Doctors Society, our patients with health insurance can claim from the “specialist” aspect of their policy for most insurers.
The procedures we offer are listed below – click on each title for details.
Skin Cancer Surgery
We perform excisions and reconstructions for any local anaesthetic-amenable skin cancers (or non-cancerous skin lesions) offering a range of reconstructive options depending on the size and location of the lesion.
Direct closure
This is where the wound is closed directly, side-to-side, with stitches.
Skin flaps
A skin flap uses plastic surgery techniques to move skin from an adjacent area to fill the defect left when a lesion has been removed. For larger defects this often provides the best cosmetic result.
Skin grafts
A skin graft involves taking skin from one area of the body and using it to fill a defect somewhere else. Grafts can be full thickness (where the whole thickness of the skin is used) or split thickness (where only the top layer of the skin is used).
Skin Checks
Whole-body skin checks are a vital screening tool to pick up early skin cancers. These are carried out using dermoscopy (also known as epiluminescence microscopy) by our doctors who have undergone specialist training in this area. Initial full skin checks typically take about 30-45 minutes; follow up visits will vary depending on the number of lesions to be assessed. Shorter initial assessments are also available for patients with 5 or fewer lesions of concern.
Hand Surgery
We offer a number of hand surgery procedures, the commonest being:
Carpal tunnel procedures
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition in which the median nerve (which supplies sensation to most of the hand) is compressed at the wrist. It can sometimes be treated with a steroid injection, but often it requires surgery. This is carried out under local anaesthetic and usually takes around 30 minutes. Before any treatment takes place, a full consultation is necessary, and the patient usually undergoes nerve conduction testing to determine how severe the problem is.
Trigger finger procedures
Trigger finger (or trigger thumb) is a condition in which a nodule on the tendon gets caught beneath one of the small pulleys that holds the tendon to the bone, causing the finger to “click” or “trigger”, sometimes painfully. It can often be treated with a steroid injection, but sometimes it requires surgery. This is a local anaesthetic procedure which usually takes around 30 minutes.
Toenail Procedures
Ingrown toenails are a common problem. If simple treatments have not been successful, we offer ingrown toenail surgery under local anaesthetic, with the ability to utilise a variety of techniques depending on the situation (Vandenbos or wedge resection).
Vasectomy
For men wanting a permanent form of contraception, vasectomy is a straightforward procedure done under local anaesthetic. We utilise a no-scalpel technique which is safe and highly effective. All patients undergo a consultation beforehand in which the procedure is explained thoroughly, and they are given the space to decide if this is the right option for them.