Wiki Perineal Mass Excision

tloeb

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For the case copied below I am looking at unlisted 58999 and compare to 27043 adding 1.5 times RVU for the complexity OR 11426 with complex closure code 1313X (need more detail for length from provider). Because 11426 is a lesion from the skin I am leaning towards, unfortunately, the unlisted code. Any recommendations?

INDICATIONS: 65 y.o. female who presented with enlarging right perineal mass. Preop radiologist studies favored a solid smooth walled mass and preop biopsy was non-diagnostic. The patient was consented for a radical resection of the mass.

ESTIMATED BLOOD LOSS: 150 cc

FINDINGS:
EUA: Examination of the groins demonstrated an approximately 8 X 6 X 6 cm mobile solid feeling mass involving the right perineum under the skin of the labia extending along the right vaginal wall by about 8 cm proximal to the hymen, abutting the anterior rectum but not involving the rectal mucosa and extending laterally to involving the right lateral labial fat and musculature.

SPECIMENS:
1. Right perineal mass

PREPARATION:
With the patient in the high lithotomy position under anesthesia, the groins, lower abdomen, vulva and vagina were prepped and draped as a sterile field. The patient had voided preop and catheterization was not performed.

PROCEDURE:
An vertical incision was made from anterior to posterior in the right perineal skin in an area where the mass was immediately under the skin. It was incised with cautery down to the mass. The mass was smooth walled but it didn't "core" out with ease as the attachments to the perineal muscles and tissues were somewhat inflamed. With cautery and blunt dissection the mass was removed in its entirety from the perineal, para-rectal and paravaginal spaces. As we approached the rectum an operators hand was placed in the rectum and great care was taken to carefully dissecting the indurated tissue off of the anterior rectal wall without injury to the rectum. This was performed several times during the resection and after resection while sutures were placed for hemostasis. The resection took approximated 40 minutes to undertake and during the resection there was some leaking of partially clotted bloody fluid from the mass. It partially collapsed but was thick walled at this point and clearly not a purely solid mass. Once resected, the mass was sent to pathology, later returning as no evidence of malignancy, final pathology pending to define the distinct etiology.

After the specimen had been removed some there was some bleeding that was controlled with deep running 2-0 and 3- 0 Vicryl sutures to close the dead space and provide hemostasis by compressing the spaces. The rectal mucosa was noted to be entirely intact and the musculature overlying the rectum was re-approximated with 4-0 vicryl suture. Approximately 4-5 layers of sutures were placed in order to both obtain hemostasis and close the large defect that resulted from resection of the perineal mass. The skin edges were then reapproximated with 4-0 subcuticular monocryl suture. Triple antibiotic ointment was placed over the wound and a "compression" dressing was placed. For addition compression a towel was rolled and placed between her thighs over the wound with plans to place ice in the recovery room.

The patient then returned to the recovery room in excellent condition. Her husband was notified by telephone that the procedure was satisfactorily completed and no evidence of malignancy. He was also advised about the pressure dressing to remove tomorrow if it didn't fall off prior to that time.
 
For the case copied below I am looking at unlisted 58999 and compare to 27043 adding 1.5 times RVU for the complexity OR 11426 with complex closure code 1313X (need more detail for length from provider). Because 11426 is a lesion from the skin I am leaning towards, unfortunately, the unlisted code. Any recommendations?

INDICATIONS: 65 y.o. female who presented with enlarging right perineal mass. Preop radiologist studies favored a solid smooth walled mass and preop biopsy was non-diagnostic. The patient was consented for a radical resection of the mass.

ESTIMATED BLOOD LOSS: 150 cc

FINDINGS:
EUA: Examination of the groins demonstrated an approximately 8 X 6 X 6 cm mobile solid feeling mass involving the right perineum under the skin of the labia extending along the right vaginal wall by about 8 cm proximal to the hymen, abutting the anterior rectum but not involving the rectal mucosa and extending laterally to involving the right lateral labial fat and musculature.

SPECIMENS:
1. Right perineal mass

PREPARATION:
With the patient in the high lithotomy position under anesthesia, the groins, lower abdomen, vulva and vagina were prepped and draped as a sterile field. The patient had voided preop and catheterization was not performed.

PROCEDURE:
An vertical incision was made from anterior to posterior in the right perineal skin in an area where the mass was immediately under the skin. It was incised with cautery down to the mass. The mass was smooth walled but it didn't "core" out with ease as the attachments to the perineal muscles and tissues were somewhat inflamed. With cautery and blunt dissection the mass was removed in its entirety from the perineal, para-rectal and paravaginal spaces. As we approached the rectum an operators hand was placed in the rectum and great care was taken to carefully dissecting the indurated tissue off of the anterior rectal wall without injury to the rectum. This was performed several times during the resection and after resection while sutures were placed for hemostasis. The resection took approximated 40 minutes to undertake and during the resection there was some leaking of partially clotted bloody fluid from the mass. It partially collapsed but was thick walled at this point and clearly not a purely solid mass. Once resected, the mass was sent to pathology, later returning as no evidence of malignancy, final pathology pending to define the distinct etiology.

After the specimen had been removed some there was some bleeding that was controlled with deep running 2-0 and 3- 0 Vicryl sutures to close the dead space and provide hemostasis by compressing the spaces. The rectal mucosa was noted to be entirely intact and the musculature overlying the rectum was re-approximated with 4-0 vicryl suture. Approximately 4-5 layers of sutures were placed in order to both obtain hemostasis and close the large defect that resulted from resection of the perineal mass. The skin edges were then reapproximated with 4-0 subcuticular monocryl suture. Triple antibiotic ointment was placed over the wound and a "compression" dressing was placed. For addition compression a towel was rolled and placed between her thighs over the wound with plans to place ice in the recovery room.

The patient then returned to the recovery room in excellent condition. Her husband was notified by telephone that the procedure was satisfactorily completed and no evidence of malignancy. He was also advised about the pressure dressing to remove tomorrow if it didn't fall off prior to that time.
First let me address the complex repair code you want to report. 1313X requires additional work not documented here.
In 2020 CPT updated their guidelines for repairs to allow a more clear differentiation between an intermediate from complex integumentary repair. In addition to the requirements for intermediate closures, complex closures must include one of the following: exposure of bone, cartilage, tendon, or named neurovascular structure; debridement of wound edges (eg, traumatic lacerations or avulsions); extensive undermining (defined as distance equal to or greater than the maximum width of the defect, measured perpendicular to the closure line along at least one entire edge of the defect); involvement of free margins of helical rim; vermilion border, or nostril rim; placement of retention sutures. The documentation you have provided includes none of these requirements and I see no evidence of retention sutures.

In surgical texts, a retention suture classically refers to a suture placed through many tissue layers when additional support is needed for closure of the abdomen. For skin closures, retention sutures are used for surgical defects in which the skin needs to be stretched to close a wound without causing excessive tissue tension and potential for tissue necrosis. The material used is usually non-absorbable heavy duty suture, such as nylon, and most frequently if put on the skin you will see a pulley stitch described. Your provider used Vicryl sutures (which are absorbable braided material) and for the skin closure moncyrl (also absorbable). I would therefore suggest that this was an intermediate repair with lots of layers.

You are correct that there is no clear-cut CPT code that covers the removal of this mass. It really is much like a soft tissue tumor so the code you have selected for comparison is not far off (the procedure as described is more work than removal of a vaginal wall tumor, but less work than a partial vulvectomy). I am not sure I would say the work is 1.5 times harder, but I would leave that decision up to your provider who will have to be able to support the additional reimbursement being requested. For the repair given the size of the mass I would go with 12044.
 
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