# Burn wound debridement



## graciejean (Mar 17, 2010)

Patient has third degree electrical burn of hand. 
How would you code the following:
Using standard techinique with the aid of surgical loupes and topical lidocaine jelly, the patient's wounds are debrided of necrotic tissue using tissue curette, forceps, and iris scissors. Bleeding is controlled with direct pressure. Debridement reveals that these are third-degree-burns. There is no exposed muscled, tendon, or bone. This procedure involved excision of necrotic full-thickness skin and necrotic subcutaneous fat. 

Orders: Daily Santyl enzymatic debriding ointment to the burns.

Should this be 11042 with ICD-9 948.00, 949.3 or could 15002 be used alone?


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## FTessaBartels (Mar 17, 2010)

*11042*

I would use 11042 UNLESS skin grafting was performed in same operative session. 

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC


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## BLOWRIE (Mar 22, 2010)

*burn wounds*

I would look at the codes beginning with 16020 and check according to burn percentage.  this can be used for removing necrotic burn tissue and also crosswalks with third degree burns.  I would see if one of these codes is appropriate since they are burn specific codes.


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