Reader Questions:
Report 61343 and 61524 Together
Published on Tue Jul 27, 2010
Question:Our surgeon routinely performs 61343 to repair Chiari malformation. Now we have a case where he completed that procedure and also resected an additional cyst in the cerebellar tonsil during the Chiari malformation decompression. Can we code both procedures? If so, do we append a modifier?New Mexico SubscriberAnswer:You may consider looking at craniectomy procedures represented by 61343 (Craniectomy, suboccipital with cervical laminectomy for decompression of medulla and spinal cord, with or without dural graft [e.g., Arnold-Chiari malformation) and 61524 (Craniectomy, infratentorial or posterior fossa; for excision or fenestration of cyst). If resection of the cyst was distinct and separate in exposure from the work required to decompress the Chiari malformation, you may be able to report both codes. However, if the cyst excision is within the exposure required to perform the Chiari decompression, it may be considered incidental to the Chiari decompression. If this did require some additional work, this [...]