Pediatric Coding Alert

Question: A pediatrician uses Dermabond to close a patient's 1.0-cm cheek laceration. Should I assign a laceration procedure code and a Dermabond code?
North Carolina Subscriber Answer: You should use the same CPT codes for closing a laceration with Dermabond as you do for suture repair. Report the appropriate simple repair code and open wound diagnosis. The repair codes' practice expense relative value units include the Dermabond supply, which you should not bill separately.
 
CEU opportunity: Using the CMS-1500 form, you should code your case as follows:
  • in box 21, enter 873.41 (Other open wound of head; face, without mention of complication; cheek)
 • in box 24-D, report 12011 (Simple repair of superficial wounds of face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips and/or mucous membranes; 2.5 cm or less).  For repair of nonfacial wounds involving Dermabond, you should instead use 12001 (Simple repair of superficial wounds of scalp, neck, axillae, external genitalia, trunk and/or extremities [including hands and feet]; 2.5 cm or less).