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General Surgery Coding Alert

Nonadjacent Tissue Transfer:

Follow 4 Steps for Perfect Pedicle Flap Pay

Published on Sat Apr 03, 2010

Distance is key for 15570-15650. Missing just one intermediate step when your surgeon performs a pedicle flap procedure could cost your practice $365. But charging for that same intermediate step in some circumstances could lead to fraud charges. Let our experts guide you, step by step, to the correct pedicle flap code -- every code, every time. Step 1: Distinguish Pedicle Flaps A pedicle flap is a type of nonadjacent tissue transfer that initially remains attached to the donor-site blood supply. The surgeon cuts a "stalk," or pedicle of tissue, that includes a flap the proper size and shape to repair a defect that is not contiguous with the donor site. The surgeon then maneuvers the flap to the repair site, still attached by the pedicle to the donor site, and later cuts the pedicle free. Watch for: You might also see this technique called "attached flap" or "tubed pedicle," which [...]
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