tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2021 Issue Q2

Reader Questions: Beware Separate Lymph Node

Question: Our surgeon removed tonsils and adenoids for a 6 year old patient. The op report notes excision of enlarged adenoids and tonsils. But the note also describes a large mass in the retropharyngeal space, and the surgeon extended the tonsil incision to dissect it out. The mass turned out to be a lymph node. Should we bill separately for the lymph node excision? Utah Subscriber Answer: The best answer is that you should not bill for a lymph node biopsy, such as 38500 (Biopsy or excision of lymph node(s); open, superficial) in this case. Removing the lymph node...

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