You Be the Coder:
Probe Deeply To Remove Thoracentesis Uncertainty
Published on Tue Apr 23, 2013
Question: How do I code the following situation? A thoracentesis tray was brought to the bedside of a patient, and the pleural effusion on the right hemothorax was percussed out, and landmarks identified. The local anesthesia in the area of the posterior ninth rib at the costovertebral angle involved approximately 3cc of 1 percent lidocaine without epinephrine. The physician then [...]