Neurosurgery Coding Alert
Report 63005 for Lumbar Laminectomy
Question: Our surgeon performed complete laminectomy for decompression of dura at L2 where lumbar epidural hematoma was present. What would be the diagnosis code for lumbar epidural hematoma and the CPT® code for laminectomy?
Answer: You report code 63005 (Laminectomy with exploration and/or decompression of spinal cord and/or cauda equina, without facetectomy, foraminotomy or discectomy [e.g., spinal stenosis], 1 or 2 vertebral segments; lumbar, except for spondylolisthesis) for the lumbar laminectomy. The diagnosis code for epidural hematoma following procedure is 998.12 (Hematoma complicating a procedure). If the hemorrhage is spontaneous, you may consider 336.9 (Unspecified disease of the spinal cord).
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Neurosurgery Coding Alert
- June 2013:
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