# Umbilical cauterization / no granuloma present



## rgeib (Sep 6, 2017)

I am coding the following note:

"(umbilical) cord off, healed.  Hemorragic discharge. No granuloma.
Cauterised with silver nitrate in office."

Since there was no granuloma, my question is if 17250 is still appropriate or should I be looking at a destruction code? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.


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## Cynthia Hughes (Nov 17, 2017)

*Umbilical cauterization without granuloma*



rgeib said:


> I am coding the following note:
> 
> "(umbilical) cord off, healed.  Hemorragic discharge. No granuloma.
> Cauterised with silver nitrate in office."
> ...



Please disregard my previous answer about reporting a simple repair. In thinking further on this, I read again the full text for repair codes and am not certain the use of these codes is appropriate. The service is cauterization and not repair and after reading again, the description of simple repair states cauterization is included in repairs and not that is a repair. It is probably best to report as an unlisted procedure and let the payer determine if payment should be based on 17250. My apologies for the earlier answer as I should have studied this further before responding.

Sincerely,
Cindy


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