Oral Surgery Coding & Reimbursement Alert
Base Removal of AVM Reporting on Method Used
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Question: Our surgeon recently performed a removal of a vascular malformation in the floor of the mouth. What code should I use to report this procedure that our surgeon performed? Our surgeon thinks that there is a code that is specific for vascular malformation but I am not finding any such specific code.
Vermont Subscriber
Answer: You’ll find some specific codes for the removal of a vascular malformation, but you don’t have any specific codes for removal of a vascular malformation from the floor of the mouth. You will have to report this procedure based on how your surgeon removed the malformation.
You have not specifically mentioned how your surgeon removed the vascular malformation. If he removed the malformation by excising it, you will have to report an excision code for the same. In such a case, you will have to report it using 41116 (Excision, lesion of floor of mouth).
On the other hand, if your surgeon performed an embolization of the vascular malformation using any chemicals, you do not have any ‘destruction by chemical means’ code for the floor of the mouth. If your clinician performed an embolization, you will have to report an unlisted code for this procedure. In such a case, you will have to report the procedure with 41599 (Unlisted procedure, tongue, floor of mouth).
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Base Removal of AVM Reporting on Method Used
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