Ob-Gyn Coding Alert

Question: My physician did a partial salpingectomy for sterilization. The ob-gyn used a scope and did not do an open procedure. The only thing I can come up with is 58661. Is this correct?

Alabama Subscriber

Answer: No, you should use 58670 (Laparoscopy,surgical; with fulguration of oviducts [with or without transection]) because this was a laparoscopic tubal ligation.

Heads up: If your ob-gyn did only one side, you should add modifier 52 (Reduced services) because the descriptor indicates -oviducts- and not -oviduct(s),- meaning the payers will consider the procedure inherently bilateral.

You should not report 58661 (Laparoscopy, surgical;with removal of adnexal structures [partial or total oophorectomy and/or salpingectomy]). This code represents a laparoscopic salpingectomy performed for reasons other than sterilization.