Surgery: Musculoskeletal System, Excision of Mucous Cyst, 26160, 26235, 26236 (Q&A)

 CPT Assistant, August 2021, Volume 31, Issue 8, page 14

Question:

What is the correct CPT code(s) to report for excision of a mucous cyst from a finger joint with excisional debridement of underlying osteophyte(s)?

Answer:

In the scenario presented, two codes may be reported. The work of soft tissue cyst excision may be reported with code 26160, Excision of lesion of tendon sheath or joint capsule (eg, cyst, mucous cyst, or ganglion), hand or finger. The excisional debridement of the dominant bone pathology (eg, osteophyte) is reported based on the bone that requires excisional debridement. Report either code 26235, Partial excision (craterization, saucerization, or diaphysectomy) bone (eg, osteomyelitis); proximal or middle phalanx of finger, or 26236, Partial excision (craterization, saucerization, or diaphysectomy) bone (eg, osteomyelitis); distal phalanx of finger. The term "osteomyelitis" in codes 26235 and 26236 is only an example of why partial bone excision may be performed, but the presence of osteomyelitis is not required in order to report these codes. In addition, osteophytes are not bone tumors or bone cysts; therefore, code 26210, Excision or curettage of bone cyst or benign tumor of proximal, middle, or distal phalanx of finger, would not apply.