Wiki Help with skin graft code

[vkratzer]

Pt has a 12x10 ankle ulcer. Surgeon debrided to subcu tissue and did a split thickness skin graft to that area. He harvested the split thickness skin from the thigh (12 cm). Is it appropriate to bill the surgical preparation 15002 as well as the 15040 and 15100? Thanks for your help

Vicky K

 

[sundaey]

If you look at the guidelines on pg. 61 of the CPT book, it states that "simple debridement of granulation tissue or recent avulsion" is included for all grafts.
If your physician documents that he "excised an open wound, burn tissue, or did an incisional release of a scar, than I would give him the prep code.
Hope that helps.

 

[elenax]

I got the following information from the ASC study guide:

What constitutes separate site preparation
According to the September 1997 CPT Assitant, "Usually, the untreated site contains uneven layers or multiple layers that pose a problem, not only facilitating the connection of the surfaces (to maximize graft survival) but accommodating the graft to cause minimal visualization of the graft site".

If the surgeon's documentation does not meet the above criteria, but he does document debridement to prepare the graft site, you should instead report the appropiate debridement code from the 11000-11044 series.

I hope this helps!!

 

[vkratzer]

Thanks for your help.