Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Question: How may I report use of a CO2 laser during open diskectomy? Arizona subscriber Answer: You should report either 63075 (Diskectomy, anterior, with decompression of spinal cord and/or nerve root[s], including osteophytectomy; cervical, single interspace) or +63076 (... cervical, each additional interspace [list separately in addition to code for primary procedure]) for microlaser diskectomy, as appropriate. The diskectomy is an open anterior procedure, during which the surgeon approaches through an incision on the front side area of the neck. The surgeon's instrument choice during an open procedure (such as a laser instead of a scalpel) does not justify additional compensation. You may not append modifier -22 (Unusual procedural services) for use of a laser. For a percutaneous laser procedure, your best code choice is 62287 (Aspiration or decompression procedure, percutaneous, of nucleus pulposus of intervertebral disk, any method, single or multiple levels, lumbar [e.g., manual or automated percutaneous diskectomy, percutaneous laser diskectomy]).