General Surgery Coding Alert

A recent General Surgery Coding Alert (vol. 10, no. 10, page 76) stated that deep debridement 11044 (Debridement; skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle and bone) has a 90-day global period. This is incorrect.

Code 11044 has a 10-day global period.

The example illustrating proper use of modifier 58 (Staged or related procedure or service by the same physician during the postoperative period) for a subsequent debridement during the global period of an initial debridement should have stated:

If the surgeon reports debridement to the level of muscle or deeper (11043 or 11044) and performs subsequent debridements within the initial surgery's global period, you must append modifier 58 to the subsequent debridement codes.

For example: The surgeon debrides a pressure sore above the coccyx, also removing muscle and bone to clear infection. You report 11044.

Nine days later (and thus within 11044's global period), the surgeon must perform a subcutaneous debridement to remove additional diseased tissue. You should report this procedure using 11042-58 (-skin and subcutaneous tissue).

Pay attention: Both 11043 (-skin, subcutaneous tissue, and muscle) and 11044 have a 10 day global.

Special thanks to reader Martha Stringfellow, a coder with SMS Management in Ocean Springs, Miss., for catching the error.