Wiki excision of wire sutures from 50 yr old surgery

[deborahcook4040]

My physician did a lap chole, but while she was attempting to gain entrance to the patient's abdomen she kept running accross wire sutures left over from an op done in the 1060's. These all had to be removed before she could proceed. Is this seperately billable? I was looking at either 15851 (remove sutures put in by another physician) or maybe 20680 (removal of deep implant e.g. buried wire) but that's an ortho code. Does anyone know if this is seperately reimburseable?

 

[Lujanwj]

It doesn't look like it's billable to CMS.

NCCI Chapt 1

L. General Policy Statements

4. CPT codes 15851 and 15852 describe suture removal and dressing change respectively under anesthesia other than local anesthesia. These codes should not be reported when a patient requires anesthesia for a related procedure

 

[jmcpolin]

What about adding a 22 modifier?