tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2002 Issue 6

Reader Question: Removal of Childs Sutures

Question: A child is returned to the operating room for suture removal under anesthesia. The child earlier had surgery for cleft lip repair. Should 15850 (Removal of sutures under anesthesia [other than local], same surgeon) be appended with modifier -23 (Unusual anesthesia) or modifier -78 (Return to the operating room for a related procedure during the postoperative period) when coding this procedure? Florida SubscriberAnswer: Neither. The correct modifier is -58 (Staged or related procedure or service by the same physician during the postoperative period) because the second procedure (the suture removal) was planned in advance and in stages. Step...

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