# Biopsy of Clavicular Mass



## crhunt78 (Oct 15, 2008)

One of our surgeons was going to remove a clavicular mass that is in the deep tissue/muscle of a pt but when he got in there, he was unable to remove the entire mass as it was attached to the subclavian vein.  He then decided to just take a biopsy of the mass and call it good.  It came back as a malignant melanoma.  I cannot find a CPT code for the biopsy.  If anyone has any ideas,  please let me know!  Thanks!


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## heathermc (Oct 15, 2008)

what about code 23066?  In the desk reference it states biopsy down deep within the soft tissue, such into the facial layer OR within the muscle.  A portion is excised and submitted for path, irrigated and closed.


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## crhunt78 (Oct 16, 2008)

Thanks!  I am pretty sure that's the code I will use.  I am going to the Dissecting Op Reports workshop tomorrow so am going to wait to code the procedure.  Maybe I'll learn something there!    I was also thinking I could code it as a removal of a mass with the discontinued procedure modifier.....


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