AHA Coding Clinic® for HCPCS - 2024 Issue 4; Ask the Editor
Craniectomy
A patient with history of a growing skull lesion presented for excision of lesion. Given the increase in size, the patient had been recommended for excision by a multidisciplinary craniofacial team. Under general anesthesia the left frontal skull lesion was outlined, and a scalp incision was made down to the pericranium. The lesion was identified and found to be embedded in the bone. Therefore, the pericranium was incised around the upper edge of the skull lesion and careful dissection using a caudal elevator as well as a Penfield #1 were used to carefully elevate the skull lesion. A curette was used in order to remove the circumferential edge of the frontal bone in order to allow dissection on the underside of the skull lesion. The skull lesion was noted to extend down into the inner cortical left frontal bone, but no full thickness defect was noted. The skull lesion was then removed intact and was passed off the field to be sent to pathology. It is unclear based on the January 2014 CPT Assistant whether a bone flap is required to report CPT code 61500. What is the correct CPT code for the excision of the skull lesion? ...
To read the full article, sign in and subscribe to the AHA Coding Clinic® for HCPCS.
Thank you for choosing Find-A-Code, please Sign In to remove ads.
Quick, Current, Complete - www.findacode.com