# 54056 vs 17000



## Orthocoderpgu (Nov 5, 2012)

Can anyone tell me what the real difference between these two codes are. It seems to me that 54056 requires the physician to directly apply the N2 directly on the lesion and 17000 you would use a sprayer or something like that. Am I right? Wrong. I have a doc that thinks it should be 54056 but only because this is the area that it was done. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.


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## kb26coder (Nov 9, 2012)

I believe the difference lies in the type of lesion treated. The 17000 refers to the destruction (eg. laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery, surgical curettement) of a premalignant lesion (eg. actinic keratosis) and should be used primarily for the tx of AKs. 

The 54056 code should be used for cryo treatment of penile lesions such as condyloma, papilloma, molluscum contagiosum, or herpetic vesicles.

What was the diagnosis from your doc?


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