Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Cranioplasty, bone grafts guide you to the right code. When your surgeon performs reduction services for a craniomegalic skull, you'll be in good shape if you can identify in the op note any cranioplasty or craniotomy work your surgeon did. And knowing when to report any bone grafts will also come in handy. See the advice that follows for accurately capturing all craniomegalic skull reduction services. Confirm the Cranioplasty When reducing a craniomegalic skull, your surgeon may simply manipulate and maneuver the bones to appropriately position them. In this case, your surgeon neither does a cranioplasty nor uses any bone grafts for repair. When your operative note specifies no cranioplasty or bone grafts, you report code 62115 (Reduction of craniomegalic skull [eg, treated hydrocephalus]; not requiring bone grafts or cranioplasty) for the reduction your surgeon performed. Your surgeon essentially tries to improve the skull symmetry by remolding the skull bones. [...]