AHA Coding Clinic® for ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS - 2016 Issue 3; Ask the Editor

Nonexcisional Debridement of Infected Lumbar Wound

A patient presents due to a postoperative lumbar wound infection. The previous lumbar midline incision was reopened and carried all the way down through the lumbar fascial layer. The wound from the epidural space out to the paraspinal musculature and subcutaneous layer was thoroughly debrided with a pulsatile jet lavage. After the wound was thoroughly debrided, a drain was placed and the incision was closed. Jet lavage seems to meet the definition of extraction in ICD-10-PCS; however, we cannot find a body part value for muscle under the root operation “extraction.” What is the appropriate code assignment for this procedure?  ...

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