How do you all code for joint tissue received from joint revisions (not resections)? One of my pathologist asks, "What the appropriate code for "joint tissue" sent for joint revision is ?? 88304 or 88305. These are typically inflamed soft tissue segments." When asked for an example, she says, "For the joint revision cases, the surgeon sends tissue labeled as... hip capsule, or femoral membrane ( all of which is "soft tissue" not bony tissue...so they are labeled as tissue from JOINT, but not soft tissue... so should we code as 88304?"
Based on Padget's handbook, my thinking is that these types of specimens could be coded as 88305 for soft tissue. I would welcome any comments!
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Joint revisions - hip capsule, femoral membrane