# Coding Dilemma



## PaulaS (Jun 17, 2010)

Hello Everyone.
    I have a surgeon who wants to bill for a Right Neck Exploration and I am not aware of a CPT code for this. The patient had a questionable right posterior cervical node which was identified on physical exam and ultrasound (The patient also has a history of breast cancer.) 
    A couple of weeks later, the patient was scheduled for an excisional biopsy of lymph node.  After the initial dissection, followed by digital & ultrasonic examinations and extensive searching, no lymph node (or any thing else abnormal) could be found.  At this point, the surgeon terminates the procedure and closes the incision. The coder billed 38500. What code(s) would you bill?  Thanks in advance for your help.


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## Jan (Jun 21, 2010)

Was any tissue sent to pathology?  21550 and if no tissue was taken maybe 21550-52.


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