tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2008 Issue 9

Reader Questions: Smallest Margin Measurement Matters for Excision

Question: I am confused regarding how to determine lesion size when coding for excisions. For instance, if the surgeon excises a malignant 5-mm, right lateral chest lesion with margins of 7 mm x 17 mm, what is the appropriate code? South Dakota subscriber Answer: Your surgeon will often make elliptical excisions in an attempt to bring the skin together more easily during suture and "flatten" or minimize the resulting scars. If you imagine a long, thin scar, for instance, you can see how this would be less noticeable -- especially over time -- than a more rounded "hole" that...

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