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Punch biopsy - considered an excision

Love Coding!

Love Coding!

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371
Location
Tempe, AZ
Can a punch biopsy also be considered an excision since it goes through the full thickness of the dermis? Can margins be included in a punch biopsy?

Thanks,

dscoder74:confused:
 
A biopsy by definition is a removal of a piece of the lesion (visible lesion), and it does not matter if it is full or partial thickness. Whereas an excision is full thickness removal of the entire (visible) lesion. A punch is a tool. So if the physician removes the entire lesion with a punch then it is an excision since a punch is always full thickness. I hope that helps!
 
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