hsmith67
Guru
Happy New Year! Need some help with an excision code debate:
A 2.5 skin incision was made. The incision extended all the way down to the subcutaneous tissue. The platysma muscle was identified and divided. Deep to the platysma muscle there was an epidermal like mass that appeared to be well encapsulated. With meticulous dissection by hugging the capsule, we were able to dissect the mass which was sent to pathology for further study.
Pathology diagnosis: Epidermal inclusion cyst.
Debate: do we code this based on the "origin" and since this was "epidermal inclusion cyst" use integumentary codes and therefore 1142x? Or, do we code this to the depth the surgeon had to go and code 21555?
Please provide any links/references you have.
Thanks so much,
Hunter Smith, CPC
A 2.5 skin incision was made. The incision extended all the way down to the subcutaneous tissue. The platysma muscle was identified and divided. Deep to the platysma muscle there was an epidermal like mass that appeared to be well encapsulated. With meticulous dissection by hugging the capsule, we were able to dissect the mass which was sent to pathology for further study.
Pathology diagnosis: Epidermal inclusion cyst.
Debate: do we code this based on the "origin" and since this was "epidermal inclusion cyst" use integumentary codes and therefore 1142x? Or, do we code this to the depth the surgeon had to go and code 21555?
Please provide any links/references you have.
Thanks so much,
Hunter Smith, CPC