Wiki Joint revisions - hip capsule, femoral membrane

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How do you all code for joint tissue received from joint revisions (not resections)? One of my pathologist asks, "What the appropriate code for "joint tissue" sent for joint revision is ?? 88304 or 88305. These are typically inflamed soft tissue segments." When asked for an example, she says, "For the joint revision cases, the surgeon sends tissue labeled as... hip capsule, or femoral membrane ( all of which is "soft tissue" not bony tissue...so they are labeled as tissue from JOINT, but not soft tissue... so should we code as 88304?"

Based on Padget's handbook, my thinking is that these types of specimens could be coded as 88305 for soft tissue. I would welcome any comments!
 
It is my understanding that if there is not a specific CPT code to describe a pathology specimen, then the pathologist should code the specimen as to the level of difficulty in examining the specimen. If the specimen is submitted as a "hip capsule", I would code as 88304 which would be similar to a joint loose body.
 
That's a very good point. I have answered my pathologist that the specimen would support 88305 if they felt as those the work involved supported that code. If they think the work is more akin to 88304, then we would go with that.
 
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