Coding for Traumatic Serosal Tear

Question:

How do you recommend coding for a traumatic transverse colon serosal tear? My coder used "repair of transverse colon." I am getting push back because I said it was a clean case (no spillage of GI contents and no contamination." I am told I can't use Clean classification because of how it was coded. Please advise!

Answer:

Serosal tears after trauma are not separately reported. They are included in the primary procedure. The colon was not lacerated/injured and was not repaired so colon repair may not be reported.

*This response is based on the best information available as of 10/23/25.