How To Use cpt 11600

cpt 11600 describes the excision of a malignant lesion, including margins, with a diameter of 0.5 cm or less on the trunk, arms, or legs. This article will cover the description, procedure, qualifying circumstances, appropriate usage, documentation requirements, billing guidelines, historical information, and examples of cpt 11600.

1. What is cpt 11600?

cpt 11600 is a code used to describe the excision of a malignant lesion, including margins, with a diameter of 0.5 cm or less on the trunk, arms, or legs. This procedure involves the removal of the cancerous lesion along with a margin of healthy tissue to ensure complete removal. It is typically performed under local anesthesia and may require sutures to close the wound.

2. Official Description

The official description of cpt 11600 is: ‘Excision, malignant lesion including margins, trunk, arms, or legs excised diameter 0.5 cm or less.’

3. Procedure

1. The provider prepares the patient and administers local anesthesia to the area surrounding the malignant lesion.
2. A margin of healthy tissue is identified and outlined with a marking pen.
3. The provider makes a full-thickness incision through the skin, encompassing the entire lesion and the previously outlined margins.
4. All margins are carefully cleaned and bleeding is controlled.
5. The wound is closed with sutures to promote healing and minimize scarring.
6. If necessary, the excised lesion may be sent to a laboratory for further evaluation or a frozen section may be performed to determine if additional excision of margins is required.

4. Qualifying circumstances

cpt 11600 is used for the excision of malignant lesions with a diameter of 0.5 cm or less on the trunk, arms, or legs. These lesions can include melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or basal cell carcinoma. The procedure is typically performed by a healthcare professional experienced in dermatological procedures and requires the use of local anesthesia.

5. When to use cpt code 11600

cpt 11600 should be used when a healthcare professional performs the excision of a malignant lesion, including margins, with a diameter of 0.5 cm or less on the trunk, arms, or legs. It is important to accurately document the size of the lesion and ensure that it meets the criteria for this specific code.

6. Documentation requirements

To support a claim for cpt 11600, the healthcare professional must document the following information:

• Diagnosis of a malignant lesion
• Size of the lesion, confirming it is 0.5 cm or less in diameter
• Location of the lesion on the trunk, arms, or legs
• Details of the excision procedure, including the use of local anesthesia
• Description of the margins excised
• Any additional procedures performed, such as a frozen section or further excision of margins
• Pathology results, if available

7. Billing guidelines

When billing for cpt 11600, it is important to ensure that the documentation supports the use of this specific code. The excision should meet the criteria of a malignant lesion with a diameter of 0.5 cm or less on the trunk, arms, or legs. It is also important to follow any additional guidelines provided by the payer or coding guidelines.

8. Historical information

cpt 11600 was added to the Current Procedural Terminology system on January 1, 1990. There have been no updates or changes to the code since its addition.

9. Similar codes to cpt 11600

Five similar codes to cpt 11600 include:

• cpt 11601: Excision, malignant lesion including margins, trunk, arms, or legs excised diameter 0.6 to 1.0 cm
• cpt 11602: Excision, malignant lesion including margins, trunk, arms, or legs excised diameter 1.1 to 2.0 cm
• cpt 11603: Excision, malignant lesion including margins, trunk, arms, or legs excised diameter 2.1 to 3.0 cm
• cpt 11604: Excision, malignant lesion including margins, trunk, arms, or legs excised diameter 3.1 to 4.0 cm
• cpt 11606: Excision, malignant lesion including margins, trunk, arms, or legs excised diameter over 4.0 cm

9. Examples

1. A dermatologist performing the excision of a 0.3 cm basal cell carcinoma on the trunk.
2. A surgeon removing a 0.4 cm squamous cell carcinoma from the arm.
3. A plastic surgeon excising a 0.2 cm melanoma on the leg.
4. A dermatologist performing the excision of a 0.5 cm basal cell carcinoma on the trunk.
5. A surgeon removing a 0.3 cm squamous cell carcinoma from the arm.
6. A plastic surgeon excising a 0.4 cm melanoma on the leg.
7. A dermatologist performing the excision of a 0.5 cm basal cell carcinoma on the trunk.
8. A surgeon removing a 0.2 cm squamous cell carcinoma from the arm.
9. A plastic surgeon excising a 0.3 cm melanoma on the leg.
10. A dermatologist performing the excision of a 0.4 cm basal cell carcinoma on the trunk.