# Third surgeon doing emergency flap procedure



## lmatsu (Dec 15, 2008)

Surgeon #1 and Surgeon #2 removed the hardware from a patient's total knee replacement done one week previously because of a post-op wound infection, and did a repeat total knee replacement.  When attempting to close the wound, they were unable to do so, and therefore, Surgeon #3 was called in to perform a flap procedure (15738).  He performed this without any assistants.  

Do we need to code Surgeon #3's procedure with any modifiers?


----------



## FTessaBartels (Dec 17, 2008)

*Will he provide post-op care?*

If Surgeon # 3 is* not* going to provide post-op care, then use mod -54.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CPC-E/M


----------



## lmatsu (Dec 17, 2008)

No...he is not going to be doing any post-op care.  

Because the flap surgery is being done within the same surgical session as the total knee replacement (albeit by a different physician), would there be a need for a mod -62 as well?  If that's the case, does the surgeon that did the TKR also bill for the flap with a -62, even though he did not take part in that procedure?  

Thank you very for much your help and response!!


----------



## FTessaBartels (Dec 18, 2008)

*NO Mod 62 on flap*

Without having all the op reports it's a little difficult to tell, but I think the following might accurately code what happened. .. 

There is NO co-surgery involved in the flap. Surgeon # 3 is basically doing the closure for the other surgery ... in this case a flap was required. Just code the flap w/ -54 mod for Surgeon # 3. Surgeon # 1 and # 2 will code the knee replacement, etc with mod -62.


F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CPC-E/M


----------

