Wiki Left Thoracotomy with pleural mass excision

Chelsey3

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At a loss as to which code to use, new at CT coding. Would 19260 be appropriate for the following or do you have other suggestions?
"...rib cutter was then used to remove approximately 1 cm of the seventh rib along the paraspinous muscles, and this was then removed to facilitate the exposure. After this, the Feochetti retractor was used to separate the sixth and seventh ribs. At this time, we inspected the lung, it was not entered in any aspect. We were then able to visualize the pleural mass along the ninth rib. We then started using the cautery to cut about 1 cm away from the mass itself along the partietal pleural. We then started peeling the mass off, first along the ninth rib, in fact it was peeled off very easily. There was no rib involvement from this mass _____ artery to peel off the mass from the chest wall..."
 
CPT 19260 is for a chest wall tumor, if this tumor was only attached to the pleura, I probably wouldn't use it. I think CPT 32100 would work (without actually seeing the entire op note).

Lisi, CPC
eharkler@nmh.org
 
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