Pulmonology Coding Alert

Question: The provider, while doing a diagnostic bronchoscopy of the right lung, found a massive hemorrhage. He put a bronchial blocker in the right lung to protect the healthy left lung from the oozing blood. Is it okay to bill for a bronchial blocker placement in addition to the bronchoscopy procedure?

Maine Subscriber

Answer: Unfortunately, you do not have a specific code for this kind of a scenario. CPT^® code 31634 (Bronchoscopy, rigid or flexible, including fluoroscopic guidance, when performed; with balloon occlusion, with assessment of air leak, with administration of occlusive substance [e.g., fibrin glue], if performed) is the nearest you can get to this procedure, but you can’t use this code because it refers to an air leak, which is not the case in the given scenario. You’d better use an unlisted code instead for this service — 31899 (Unlisted procedure, trachea, bronchi). Be sure to include the service description and a fee prior to submitting the claim.