Surgery: Integumentary System (Q&A) (April 2014)

April 2014 page 10a Surgery: Integumentary System Question: Following a lumpectomy by a general surgeon, the plastic surgeon performs a Wise pattern breast reduction on the affected breast and a breast reduction on the opposite breast. Is it appropriate to report code 19318 , Reduction mammaplasty , with modifier 50 appended, or code 19366 , Breast reconstruction with other technique , also with modifier 50 appended? Answer: The surgery performed on each breast is a breast reduction; neither one is a reconstruction. Code 19318 , Reduction mammaplasty , should be reported with modifier 50 , Bilateral Procedure , appended. It is not appropriate to report code 19366...

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Note:  The following article synopsis was NOT provided by the AMA. It was created by Find-A-Code/innoviHealth.

Article Overview

This April 2014 Q&A article from CPT Assistant focuses on coding issues in integumentary-system surgery, especially breast procedures and related repair or revision scenarios. It is intended for coders, billers, and clinicians who need to understand how the article discusses reporting considerations, modifier usage, and the relationship between primary procedures and additional surgical work. The article covers general guidance on breast reduction, breast reconstruction, vascular re-anastomosis in free flap cases, and closure-related issues after reconstruction.

Why This Topic Matters

These topics commonly arise in surgical coding reviews and can affect how breast and reconstructive procedures are documented and reported. Understanding the scope helps readers decide whether the article is relevant to postoperative complication handling, bilateral procedure reporting, and related integumentary-system coding questions.

Article Sections

  1. April 2014 page 10a

    Introductory page marker for the Q&A content in this issue. The section contains multiple breast surgery coding questions and related reporting discussion.

What You Will Learn

  • How the article frames coding questions involving breast surgery and reconstruction
  • What general topics are discussed around bilateral procedures and modifiers
  • How postoperative repair and closure scenarios are addressed at a high level
  • Which integumentary-system coding situations are reviewed in the April 2014 Q&A

Who Should Read This

  • Medical coders
  • Coding auditors
  • Billing professionals
  • Plastic surgery staff
  • General surgery staff

Codes Discussed

Code Ranges Discussed

Modifiers Discussed


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