Pulmonology Coding Alert

Question: Our pulmonologist occasionally performs a small "x" incision in a patient's chest to release trapped subcutaneous air while administering critical care. If we can report the incision separately, which code should we use? Or should we add the procedure into the level of critical care?

Florida Subscriber

Answer: Don't add the service into the critical-care level. Instead, you should code incisions to release trapped subcutaneous air as 10060 (Incision and drainage of abscess [e.g., carbuncle, suppurative hidradenitis, cutaneous or subcutaneous abscess, cyst, furuncle, or paronychia]; simple or single).