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Anesthesia Coding Alert

You Be the Coder:

Two-Day Elbow Replacement and Prosthesis Procedure

Published on Tue Oct 01, 2002

Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the box below for the
answer.

Question: A patient had total elbow replacement surgery (24363, Arthroplasty, elbow; with distal humerus and proximal ulnar prosthetic replacement [e.g., total elbow]), during which the surgeon initially placed a trial prosthesis. The patient returned to the OR the next day for the permanent prosthesis. How should I code for the second day's procedure? Maryland Subscriber           Answer: Anytime anesthesia services are provided on separate dates, the procedures are separately coded and billed. File as normal for each date of service, using code 01760 (Anesthesia for open procedures on humerus and elbow; total elbow replacement) for each day. The operative notes will document that anesthesia was provided for two separate procedures.
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