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Wiki Help...need input!

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One of my surgeons had to remove a chicken bone that was lodged in the patients retropharynx. The surgeon first scoped that patient but was unsuccessful in detecting the bone, she then went transcervically and incised down to the the plane just medial to the carotid sheath, entered the retropharynx and removed the bone with her finger. a penrose drain was left in place. My fellow coder and I are going back in forth over what code is correct for the bone extraction 21556 with (52) modifier vs 20100,
any thoughts?
 
code

Since I don't have the operative note I can't give you a specific answer, but you may want to look at 42809 removal of foreign body from pharynx, I don't believe that either of the two codes that you gave would be appropriate since it is not a penetrating wound nor a tumor. Hope this helps.
 
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