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Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Correctly Code for Spinal Metastatic Tumors

Published on Thu Apr 28, 2011

QuestionIf the surgeon performs an 11-level thoracic laminectomy for bilateral removal of a metastatic tumor, is this coded as 63276 x11 or otherwise? Is a modifier appropriate in this case? Alaska SubscriberAnswer: The single reporting of code 63276 (Laminectomy for biopsy/excision of intraspinal neoplasm; extradural, thoracic) is correct to describe the laminectomy for epidural metastatic tumor removal at the thoracic location, regardless of the number of lamina removed.
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