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Keratoacanthoma CPT® coding
Path on a patient came back as Keratoacanthoma basically (238.2 uncertain behavior neoplasm) how should you code the "removal" as malignant or benign when it could possibly be either one. Thanks
re: keratacanthoma
I found this:
"According to ICD-9-CM, the diagnosis of
keratoacanthoma is to be reported with 238.2. Code
238.2 in the neoplasm table is associated with lesions
of uncertain behavior.
When a biopsy is done and the pathology report
yields “keratoacanthoma”, the procedure code would
be 11100 and the diagnosis code could be 238.2.
However, the pathology report for the
keratoacanthoma may state, “squamous cell
carcinoma, KA type”. In that particular instance, the
diagnosis code would be 173.x.
When an excision or destruction is performed of a
suspected keratoacanthoma, the appropriate excision
or destruction procedure code, benign or malignant
would be selected based upon the diagnosis in the
pathology report. The diagnosis code chosen would
also be based upon the pathology report, using the
appropriate code 173.x for a squamous cell cancer,
KA type"
Sounds like it could go either way depending on the path report.