You Be the Coder:
Grafting Procedures
Published on Tue May 01, 2001
Question: What anesthesia code corresponds with grafting procedure 15736 (muscle, myocutaneous, or fasciocutaneous flap; upper extremity)?
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Answer: Code 15736 is a site-differential code, which means the appropriate anesthesia code varies according to the part of the body on which the procedure is performed.
Recommended anesthesia codes for grafting are:
01250 (anesthesia for all procedures on nerves, muscles, tendons, fascia, and bursae of upper leg);
01320 (anesthesia for all procedures on nerves, muscles, tendons, fascia, and bursae of knee and/or popliteal area); and
01470 (anesthesia for procedures on nerves, muscles, tendons, and fascia of lower leg, ankle, and foot; not otherwise specified).
Remember that 15736 is one of four graft codes used for the donor site (place from which skin and/or deep tissues are taken) rather than the recipient site (where the graft is placed).
Note: The other three donor-site codes are 15732 (muscle, myocutaneous, or fasciocutaneous flap; head and neck [e.g., temporalis, masseter, sternocleidomastoid, levator scapulae]), 15734 (... trunk) and 15738 (... lower extremity).
