General Category > General Questions
97597 LT/RT or Modifier 50
ErickVA65:
I need your help with 97597.
97597 LT
97597 RT
or
97597-50
kristin:
Neither.
Skin has no laterality, it is one continuous organ, so you can't assign a left or right side to it, nor can you use a 50 modifier, because that indicates bilateral procedure. You use 97597 for the first 20 square centimeters debrided of skin, regardless of where it is, then if you go over debriding 20 square centimeters, you use the add on code 97598 for the next 20 square centimeters or part thereof.
ErickVA65:
97597 - Debridement (eg, high pressure waterjet with/without suction, sharp selective debridement with scissors, scalpel and forceps), open wound, (eg, fibrin, devitalized epidermis and/or dermis, exudate, debris, biofilm), including topical application(s), wound assessment, use of a whirlpool, when performed and instruction(s) for ongoing care, per session, total wound(s) surface area; first 20 sq cm or less
ErickVA65:
Can you give me example for 97579?
kristin:
Now I am confused...in your first reply you posted the code description of the 97597. In your second reply, you asked for an example of 97579. Did you mean 97597, and if so, the code description you previously posted basically answers your question. Here is an article that helps:
http://www.hcpro.com/HIM-283163-8160/Differentiate-between-types-of-wound-debridement.html
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