# Confused and a headache!



## klp010102 (Apr 17, 2009)

Okay if a patient has a mastectomy, simple, complete with SN biopsy.     Would I still just code 00400?    How would I code for the biopsy if it is not specified which nodes?


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## LaSeille (Apr 28, 2009)

klp010102 said:


> Okay if a patient has a mastectomy, simple, complete with SN biopsy.     Would I still just code 00400?    How would I code for the biopsy if it is not specified which nodes?



Check out these codes:
19303 (00400) simple mastectomy
38525 (01610) biopsy or excision lymph nodes, deep axillary
19302 (00402) mastectomy, partial, with axillary lymphadenectomy

If just an axillary node biopsy was performed, code 01610.  Use the same code (01610) for simple mastectomy w/ axil node biopsy as there is no code specifically for that, and the node biopsy is higher base than the mastectomy.

Does this help?

LaSeille Willard, CPC


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