AAPC Updated CPC Exam Questions and Answers by aron

A patient presents to the emergency room with a nosebleed that is controlled by limited anterior nasal packing.

What CPT® code is reported?

View MR 001394

MR 001394

Operative Report

Procedure: Excision of 11 cm back lesion with rotation flap repair.

Preoperative Diagnosis: Basal cell carcinoma

Postoperative Diagnosis: Same

Anesthesia: 1% Xylocaine solution with epinephrine warmed and buffered and injected slowly through a 30-gauge needle for the patient's comfort.

Location: Back

Size of Excision: 11 cm

Estimated Blood Loss: Minimal

Complications: None

Specimen: Sent to the lab in saline for frozen section margin control.

Procedure: The patient was taken to our surgical suite, placed in a comfortable position, prepped and draped, and locally anesthetized in the usual sterile fashion. A #15 scalpel blade was used to excise the basal cell carcinoma plus a margin of normal skin in a circular fashion in the natural relaxed skin tension lines as much as possible The lesion was removed full thickness including epidermis, dermis, and partial thickness subcutaneous tissues. The wound was then spot electro desiccated for hemorrhage control. The specimen was sent to the lab on saline for frozen section.

Rotation flap repair of defect created by foil thickness frozen section excision of basal cell carcinoma of the back. We were able to devise a 12 sq cm flap and advance it using rotation flap closure technique. This will prevent infection, dehiscence, and help reconstruct the area to approximate the situation as it was prior to surgical excision diminishing the risk of significant pain and distortion of the anatomy in the area. This was advanced medially to close the defect with 5 0 Vicryl and 6-0 Prolene stitches.

What CPT® coding is reported for this case?

A 56-year-old female patient with a history of degenerative disc disease at levels T2-T3 and T4-T5 underwent a surgical repair procedure. Two surgeons will be working together as primary surgeons

Surgeon X: Carried out the anterior exposure of the spine and mobilized the great vessels, assisted Dr. Z. and performed the closure.

Surgeon Z: Performed a minimal anterior discectomy and fusion at T2-T3 and T4-T5 levels using an anterior interbody technique and solely performed utilizing a structural allograft.

What is the CPT® coding for the two surgeons?

(A patient is in the operating room for a planned partial meniscectomy of the temporomandibular joint. However, after general anesthesia was administered and the oral surgeon made the incision, the patient experienced respiratory distress. The oral surgeon decides tocancel the procedure. What CPT® coding is reported for the oral surgeon?)