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Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Reader Question:

tracheoesophageal puncture

Published on Sat Dec 01, 2001

Question: How should I code a tracheoesophageal puncture?

South Dakota Subscriber
 
 
Answer: Use 31611 (construction of tracheoesophageal fistula and subsequent insertion of an alaryngeal speech prosthesis [e.g., voice button, Blom-Singer prosthesis]).
 
This procedure may be performed on patients who have had laryngectomies due to laryngeal cancer and, as a result, cannot produce laryngeal speech. The technique involves the creation of a fistula between the trachea and the esophagus and use of a prosthesis named for physicians Singer and Blom, who first reported using the technique.
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