# need help with excision of lesion



## ggparker14 (Feb 21, 2011)

Excision of lesions confuse me. 

Need other coder's opinions.  Looking at 11442.

procedure: benign right ear skin and soft tissue lesion excision 1 x 05. cm

Thanks.


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## FTessaBartels (Feb 22, 2011)

*Code off the largest dimension*

For excision of lesion, you use the largest dimension.

Ideally the physician will tell you whether this inlcudes margins, or will stipulate the margin. In the absence of any other information regarding margins, you just use the largest diameter.

In your case the lesion measures 1 cm, so the code would be 11441.

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC


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## SE010 (Feb 22, 2011)

*Modifier 59 with 11100/17000*

I am coding 11100 and 17000.  Does the biopsy get the modifier 59?

Thank you.


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## NaliniAAPC (Feb 23, 2011)

Hi,
Agree with 11441

Nalini CPC


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## eadun2000 (Feb 23, 2011)

sofiaegan said:


> I am coding 11100 and 17000.  Does the biopsy get the modifier 59?
> 
> Thank you.



Are these done on two different lesions?  If so, then yes, the biopsy gets the mod 59.  However, I would like to point out just incase you do not know, 17000 is for pre-malignant lesions only, e.g. actinic keratosis.  Just wanted to point that out as I have seen a lot on this forum that do not understand this   Hope this helps.


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