Did the dermatologist remove the damaged nail from the nail bed to foster regrowth of the nail?
When the dermatologist performs avulsion (11730, Avulsion of nail plate, partial or complete, simple; single), he removes the existing nail or partial nail. Because the nail plate, or matrix, is left untouched, the nail should regrow. Case example: A patient has been seeing his dermatologist for treatment of a nail fungus. Today he presents to the office limping slightly and with his foot wrapped. He caught his foot in a sliding door at home. The dermatologist notes that the patient has a bruised great toe and that the nail is partly torn from the toe. But the nail matrix is unharmed. The dermatologist injects the toe with lidocaine for anesthesia and carefully cuts away the damaged portion of the nail, leaving the nail matrix and one-third of the nail itself. The dermatologist then applies a dressing. The nail matrix is unharmed, so you should report nail avulsion (11730) because the dermatologist did not remove the nail permanently and the nail should regrow, coding experts say. Note
