Irrigation and Drainage

Question:

There is some confusion in my office as what is the difference between a simple and complication irrigation and drainage (I&D) of an abscess. Can you help?

Answer:

A simple I&D includes drainage of the pus or purulence from the cyst or abscess and is reported with CPT 10060. The physician leaves the incision open to drain on its own, allowing for healing with normal wound care. A complex I&D includes placement of a drainage tube to allow for continuous drainage or packing to facilitate healing and reported with CPT 10061. In certain cases, tissue excision, primary closure, and/or Z-plasty may be required. Incision and drainage of a blister requires of a “super infection” with pus and abscess formation. CPT 10061 often involves larger abscesses requiring probing to break up loculations and packing to promote ongoing drainage. A loculate region in an organ or tissue, or a loculate structure formed between surfaces of organs or mucous or serous membranes.

*This response is based on the best information available as of 02/02/17.

Intralesional Injections

Question:

Can I Report CPT 11900 x 1 and 11901 for each additional injections for multiple nodular lesions?

Answer:

No. CPT 11900 and 11901 are used to report number of lesions, not number of injections. You would report 11900 for up to and including 7 lesions and 11901 if there are more than 7 lesions. Make sure you document the type of lesions injected (cystic, nodular, keloid, psoriasis, acne, etc.) and location of each individual lesion. You may also separately bill for the medication using an appropriate J code.

*This response is based on the best information available as of 01/05/17.

Use of Tissue Adhesive for Laceration Repair

Question:

Does use of a tissue adhesive “count” as a layer for the laceration repair codes?

Answer:

Actually, yes it does! The CPT guidelines state “Use the codes in this section to designate wound closure utilizing sutures, staples, or tissue adhesives (e.g., 2-cyanoacrylate), either singly or in combination with each other, or in combination with adhesive strips. Wound closure utilizing adhesive strips as the sole repair material should be coded using the appropriate E/M code.” This means sutures, staples or a tissue adhesive “counts” as a wound closure technique for 12001–13160. However, steri-strips do not.

*This response is based on the best information available as of 07/21/16.