Help with Coding-Mass Head

[Hopp]

Can anyone help with following: Deep excision of 3cm mass of the head (Mass was deep and extended down to the fascia of the skull) Path: Lipoma I can't seem to find the cpt as I think it is more involved than the the CPT found in the integumentary section. Thanks

[tberry99aapc]

try 11423 for excision benign lesion scalp with simple closure OR
try 12032 for excision benign lesion scalp with layered closure (intermediate repair); these codes are refering to a lesion 3cm no other mention of
margin excision, etc.;
Depends on the documentation of closure.
If surgeon is closing by tissue advancement or reconstruction, your code should be found 14000-14300; these codes, I think, include excision of lesion and repair of defect.
Hope this helps

[acbarnes]

Look at code 21015 Radical resection of tumor, soft tissue of face or scalp.

Anna Barnes, CPC, CGSCS

[heathermc]

21015 is for malignancy, not a lipoma

[cmartin]

I agree w/ the 11423 + possible closure codes - unfortunately, the scalp, like most of the abdominal wall, is one of the few areas which doesn't have any codes for excision of subcutaneous soft tissue tumors like lipomas.
C.Martin CPC-GENSG