Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: My provider made a small incision through the patient’s skin to puncture the blocked femoral artery. They introduced a guidewire through the opening and used the guidewire to introduce the catheter. My cardiologist used arteriography as an imaging guidance, and using the guidewire, introduced a balloon catheter into the artery, advancing it to the site of occlusion. They confirmed its position using angiography. They then inflated the balloon at the site of the occlusion and expanded it against the wall of the lumen to increase the diameter of the vessel. Finally, my cardiologist withdrew the catheter and sutures the incision or site of puncture in the blood vessel. They monitored the patient’s vital signs and stability. Which code should I report on my claim?

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Answer: You should report 37224 (Revascularization, endovascular, open or percutaneous, femoral, popliteal artery(s), unilateral; with transluminal angioplasty) on your claim.

Don’t miss: Code 37224 is an angioplasty procedure, which your cardiologist will perform to widen a narrowed or blocked artery.