Category: CC-Plastic Surgery

Removal of Eschar
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Removal of Eschar

May 25, 2023 Question: My plastic surgery saw a patient who sustained an approximately 40% total body surface area burn in a fire. He has previously undergone excision and allograft placement of his extremities. He now came back for removal of the eschar that remains present on his torso and bilateral thighs. The total area...

Wound Debridement
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Wound Debridement

March 30, 2023 Question: What CPT code would you use for a wound debridement when the operative notes says the wound will heal by secondary intention. Do you use a repair code? Answer: You would report a wound debridement code 1104X. The code selected would depend on anatomic location and total sq cm. You would...

Adjacent Tissue Transfer
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Adjacent Tissue Transfer

March 16, 2023 Question: How should my physician document an adjacent tissue transfer? My physician documents the total in sq cm for the entire repair. Answer: The primary and secondary defect dimensions are required. The primary defect is the excision site and the secondary defect results from the flap design to perform the reconstruction. So...

Forehead Flap
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Forehead Flap

March 2, 2023 Question: Our plastic surgeon routinely does repairs after Mohs surgery. What CPT code do I report for a paramedian forehead flap to reconstruct a nasal defect after Mohs surgery. Answer: The correct code to report is CPT code 15731 (Forehead flap with preservation of vascular pedicle (e.g., axial pattern flap, paramedian forehead...

What does “Separate Procedure“ Mean in a CPT Code Description?
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What does “Separate Procedure“ Mean in a CPT Code Description?

February 2, 2023 Question: What does “separate procedure” mean when it follows a CPT code description? Answer: Per CPT: Some of the procedures or services listed in the CPT codebook that are commonly carried out as an integral component of a total service or procedure have been identified by the inclusion of the term “separate...

Consultation Coding in 2023
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Consultation Coding in 2023

December 15, 2022 Question:  In 2023, will the level of service be determined by history, exam and medical decision making, or will this change? I have heard it is changing. Answer: Beginning January 1, 2023, consultation codes 99242-99255) for both inpatient and outpatient services will be based on medical decision making or time. However, keep...

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