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Primary Care Coding Alert

READER QUESTIONS:

Dermabond = Laceration Repair, Usually

Published on Tue May 26, 2009

Question: The FP treats an established 18-year-old patient who has a long,but superficial, cut on his forehead just above the brow. Using Dermabond, the FP closes the 10.2 cm cut. How should I code wound closures with Dermabond? Is this an E/M, or a laceration repair? Michigan Subscriber Answer: For this patient, and most patients your FP will treat, a laceration the FP closes with Dermabond is a procedure. On the claim, report the following: " 12015 (Simple repair of superficial wounds of face, ears, eyelids, nose,lips and/or mucous membranes; 7.6 cm to 12.5 cm) for the repair " 873.42 (Other open wound of head; face, without mention of complication; forehead) appended to 12015 to represent the patients cut. The only time a laceration repair is considered an E/M is when the FP uses adhesive strips to close the injury. When the FP performs the repair using Dermabond, sutures, or [...]
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