Wiki full thickness lip repair

[FTessaBartels]

Lay description may help

Here is the lay description of 40652 and 40654 from Encoder Pro ... may help

The physician repairs a laceration extending through the full thickness of the lip. In 40652, a laceration or surgically created wound of up to one-half the vertical height of the lip is closed with layered sutures and in 40654, a wound of more than one-half the vertical height of the lip is repaired.

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC

 

[Torilinne]

Full thickness involves both the epidermis and dermis. If the provider states it was a repair involving the muscle that seems to coincide with a full thickness repair. If the repair was done both extra and intra-orally, it seems that would be at least one-half the vertical height of the lip. I'd lean toward the 40652-40654. Thoughts?

Torilinne
CPC, CGIC

 

[FTessaBartels]

Physician must specify

You will have to ask the physician to amend the documentation to specify.

For these codes, full thickness refers to a wound that goes clean through the lip to the oral cavity. The height is exactly what it says ... is it the full height of the lip, or only part of the lip?

The physician will have to specify this in the documentation in order for you to properly code it.

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC