Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Practice Test

In the coding for a patient with surgery to remove carbuncles, which codes are most appropriate?

1. 680.3, 041.10

2. 682.9, 041.10

3. 680.1, 482.1

4. 681.9, 041.00

The correct answer is: 680.3, 041.10

When coding for a patient who has undergone surgery to remove carbuncles, it is important to choose the codes that specifically correspond to the diagnosis and any relevant infections. The correct codes consist of 680.3, which is the code for a carbuncle, and 041.10, which indicates an unspecified bacterial infection. Carbuncles are infections that generally stem from bacterial agents, hence the need to classify the infection type. This selection of codes directly ties into the diagnosis and treatment received by the patient, accurately representing the medical situation. In contrast, other choices may present codes that either pertain to different types of skin infections or do not attribute the correct specificity related to carbuncles. For example, using codes that refer specifically to abscesses or other skin conditions would not accurately reflect a carbuncle surgery case and could lead to misinterpretation of the patient's medical record and insurance claims. Therefore, the combination of 680.3 and 041.10 provides the most precise and appropriate coding for the procedure in question.