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Question: I am trying to find the right code for a drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE). Should I use 31575 or 92502?

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Answer: Even though 31575 (Laryngoscopy, flexible; diagnostic) describes a diagnostic procedure where the otolaryngologist examines a patient’s larynx using an endoscope, and 92502 (Otolaryngologic examination under general anesthesia) describes an ear, nose, and throat examination where the patient is under anesthesia, neither code accurately captures the work involved in performing the procedure you describe.

That’s because the purpose of a DISE is much more focused, and far more detailed, than either of the two exams you mention. Code 92502, for example, describes a wide-ranging examination of a patient’s ears, nose, and throat to diagnose conditions such as chronic sinus infections. Code 31575, on the other hand, describes an exam limited to the patient’s larynx where the provider is looking for structural problems, growths, or foreign objects.

Prior to 2022, you could have used either code for a DISE. However, CPT^® introduced 42975 (Drug-induced sleep endoscopy, with dynamic evaluation of velum, pharynx, tongue base, and larynx for evaluation of sleep-disordered breathing, flexible, diagnostic) that year specifically to describe a DISE. The procedure is designed to examine a patient’s velum, pharynx, tongue base, and larynx with the specific aim of confirming a diagnosis of, and developing a treatment plan for, obstructive sleep apnea.

Bruce Pegg, BA, MA, CPC, CFPC, Managing Editor, AAPC