Wiki Multiple Friction Burns from a Treadmill

[wpienaar]

How do I code for a multiple friction burns on a 3 year old? Child was brought in with partial thickness friction burns to a hand, both ankles, one foot and a full thickness friction burn down to the fascia on 2 fingers. Would the debridement codes 11040 apply for the partial thickness burns and 11041 for the full thickness burn to the fingers? The provider cleaned all of the friction burns with surclens and debrided the loose skin, applied silvadene, xeroform gauze, conforming gauze and coban dressings to all burn areas.

The child came back the next day to check the burns and they were also cleaned with surclens and redressed with silvadine and dressings again. No debridement unless cleansing them counts as debridement. How would I code this visit?

Thanks, Wendy

 

[FTessaBartels]

Burn treatment

Read the guidelines and descriptions in CPT under Burns, Local Treatment CPT 16000-16030.

Documentation will need to be specific as to TBSA.

You say that burns to the digits were full-thickness. Usually requires Skin Grafting. But if no grafting done, still use the burn treatment codes above.

The second visit will be coded using the same set of CPT codes (depending on healing, you may or may not have the same TBSA).

Your first visit MAY merit an E/M with -25 modifier. But any subsequent visits will NOT - code either the burn care or the visit - not both.

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC