tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2013 Issue 12

Reader Question: Don't Rely on Wagner's Classification

Question: If the surgical note documents Wagner’s ulcer classification for a debridement procedure, is there a way to correlate that with ICD-9 and CPT® codes to bill for the service? Texas Subscriber Answer: Although Wagner’s ulcer classification might give some hints for the CPT® code, it won’t impact your ICD-9 choice. Diagnosis: Wagner’s method classifies ulcers according to their depth and other characteristics, as follows: Grade 0: No open ulceration Grade 1: Full thickness ulcer, not beyond loss of skin Grade 2: Deep ulceration with exposed tendon/joint Grade 3: Ulcer extends down to bone, osteomyelitis...

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