**CPT Assistant, February 1997 Page: 7 Category:
Debridement of Multiple Sites
To report debridement of multiple sites, CPT codes 11040-11044 may be used more than one time, for a single patient encounter. For each site, select the appropriate code based on the intensity of the wound.
When reporting debridement of more than one site, the physician reports the secondary code (ie, the second code listed) with the -59 modifier appended, to indicate the different areas that were given attention.
Code Descriptors
11040 Debridement; skin, partial thickness
11041 ******skin, full thickness
11042 ******skin, and subcutaneous tissue
11043 ******skin, subcutaneous tissue, and muscle
11044 ******skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle, and bone
Clinical Vignette
The following vignette illustrates the appropriate application of the CPT code(s) indicated. It is important to note that the vignette represents only the typical patient and service/procedure. Third-party payor reporting practices may differ.
A patient is recovering from a high voltage electric burn injury three weeks prior. He presents to physician's office for debridement of injuries to palmar surface of both hands and plantar surface of right foot.
The right hand injury involves debridement of necrosed tissue through the subcutaneous. (11042) Left hand injury is less intense and wound cleaning involves only minimal erythematous epidermis. (11040) The injury to the right foot shows minimal healing and debridement is carried out through the flexor digitorum brevis. (11043)