Re: Surgical Site

[carol maher]

Yes, I think you are reading it wrong.  The end of the sentence on 3-166 says "or lacerations that require suturing or butterfly closures as surgical wounds."  Your resident has staples to a surgical site.  This is a surgical wound.  I would count it if it is still healing, and it sounds as if it is.  You are not to code healed surgical wounds here,(e.g., hysterectomy scar from 15 years ago). ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 6:19 PM Subject: Surgical Site Pt with ORIF staples in left hip nurses have a treatment clean with NSS and leave OTA  BID---would this be coded as a surgical site and surgical wound care?  The manual says if they have sutures I shouldnt code it there.  Am I reading this wrong???   Thanks for the help