Wiki burns

[maxwell@marshall.edu]

Have a patient with 60% BS burns. Dr did debridement on multiple areas, see OP Note below:
Heat was turned up in the room, the patient was exposed, so that the left upper extremity, chest, abdomen and bilateral lower extremities circumferentially could be prepped and draped with Betadine. Betadine was washed off and all areas were thoroughly dried to prevent heat loss and a Zimmer dermatome along with Eschmann blades were used to debride the bilateral lower extremities circumferentially from the ankle up to the knee anteriory and all the way to the backs of thighs posteriorly, this was on both extremitites. bleeding was controlled with bovie cauter, pressure and epinephrine soaked lap sponges. left upper extremity was debrided in similar fashion. Abdomen was debrided from flank to flank in a simial fashion. the procedure was concluded by placement of silver nitrate soaked lap sponges on all areas of debride. arms and leg were wrapped with Kerlix and a burn vest was applied to anterior abdomen.

QUESTION:
do i use 16030 only once or can i use units for each body area?

 

[FTessaBartels]

Only once

You code it only once ... but you can use a -22 modifier to indicate unusual procedure. Given the extremely large area of debridement required, I think you'd probably be justified.
I hope the physician dictated 60% TBSA in his op note somewhere.

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC

 

[maxwell@marshall.edu]

Burns

Yes he did document the TBSA. Thank you for your help