tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2015 Issue 4

Reader Question: Distinguish Excision, Destruction Procedures

Question: When I have a surgical report for removal of in situ basal cell carcinoma, should I use excision or destruction codes? Texas Subscriber Answer: The surgical report should specify the details of the procedure, which should answer your question. Surgeons typically excise malignant cancers such as basal cell carcinoma to ensure clear margins, but they might use destruction methods for small, in situ cases.  If the operative report specifies excision of basal cell carcinoma, you should choose the appropriate code based on the anatomic site and lesion size, such as 11603 (Excision, malignant lesion including margins, trunk...

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