tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2020 Issue Q3

Reader Questions: Dx Shows Medical Necessity for Scar Revision

Question: A year after our surgeon excised a basal cell carcinoma on a patient’s right little finger, the patient returned complaining that the scar contracted her joint, causing difficulty bending the finger. The surgeon surgically released the contracture of the 2.3 cm scar. How should we code this procedure and diagnosis? Tennessee Subscriber Answer: Report the surgeon’s revision of a 2.3 cm scar as 13131 (Repair, complex, forehead, cheeks, chin, mouth, neck, axillae, genitalia, hands and/or feet; 1.1 cm to 2.5 cm). Because the reason for the procedure is functional, not just cosmetic...

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