Physician excises a 1.5 cm lesion of the nose. He sends the specimen to pathology for diagnosis and for margins. Diagnosis came back basal cell carcinoma with unclear margins. Physician excised an additional .25 cm margin. Second path report came back with clear margins. What CPT code(s) are assigned?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct CPT code is 11642, which is used for the excision of malignant lesions on the face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, and mucous membranes with a diameter of 1.1 to 2.0 cm. The additional excision to ensure clear margins is included in the initial procedure code and does not require a separate code.

Physician Excises a 1