# Partial mastectomy or open excision w/wire loc?



## lgrabner (Aug 19, 2011)

If dr states a partial mastectomy  with wire loc, but specifies attention to clear margins, which is the correct code? 

"I widely circumscribed the area designated by the wire from the surrounding tissue down to the pectoralis fascia.  The entirity of the localizing wire was contained within the specimen.  There was no evidence of any encrouchment of any margins by the tumor on gross inspection.  The specimine is marked to orient for pathology.  It was sent for confimaatory mammogram which demonstrated the area of concern to be with in our specimen.  I felt that the mass was centrally located within the tumor, and at least grossly there was a 1 cm margin circumferentially."


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## MPIELE (Aug 19, 2011)

The CPT book clarifies this issue:

"the open excision of breast lesions (...), *without* specific attention to adequate margins...is reported using codes 19110-19126"

"Partial mastectomy procedures includes attention to the removal of adequate surgical margins (19301-19302)"


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