Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Question: My physician performed a left hemithyroidectomy with isthmusectomy with removal of substernal thyroid mass, cervical approach. Do I code this 60220 or 60271, or is there some other way that I should code this?

Idaho Subscriber

Answer: Since 60271 (Thyroidectomy, including substernal thyroid; cervical approach) addresses the substernal thyroid and the cervical approach, that's the code you should use. The notation under code 60240 (Thyroidectomy, total or complete) reads, "For thyroidectomy, subtotal or partial, use 60271."-The lobectomy codes (60210, 60212, 60220, 60225) do not address the substernal thyroid.