Had a provider report an incision and drainage of a toe cellulitis (abscess).
On reading the note, she had used a 25g needle to "incise" the abscess.
Based on the size of the needle, my go-to 'supercoder' provider agreed that this puncture isn't an incision. But she held that if a large gauge needle, say a 19 or 20 g was used and the abscess was drained, this would constitute an incision and drainage.
I think that based on the definition of 'incision' as a cut with a sharp surgical instrument, the puncture by the large gauge needle still would not be sufficient to code a 10060 for the incision and drainage. Which is right? Large gauge needle puncture to drain an abscess justifies an I & D code - yes or no
On reading the note, she had used a 25g needle to "incise" the abscess.
Based on the size of the needle, my go-to 'supercoder' provider agreed that this puncture isn't an incision. But she held that if a large gauge needle, say a 19 or 20 g was used and the abscess was drained, this would constitute an incision and drainage.
I think that based on the definition of 'incision' as a cut with a sharp surgical instrument, the puncture by the large gauge needle still would not be sufficient to code a 10060 for the incision and drainage. Which is right? Large gauge needle puncture to drain an abscess justifies an I & D code - yes or no