tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2013 Issue 4

Reader Question: Distinguish Soft Tissue, Skin

Question: The surgeon re-excised a melanoma of the upper arm, removing a 2.9 cm lesion with 0.1 cm margins. The op note documents that the surgeon removed subcutaneous tissue down to, but not including the fascia, and performed an intermediate repair. Should I code this as 24071? Illinois Subscriber Answer: No, 24071 (Excision, tumor, soft tissue of upper arm or elbow area, subcutaneous; 3 cm or greater) is not the correct code for this service. Because this is a melanoma, you should not code the re-excision as a soft tissue tumor. Although they may become invasive, melanomas...

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