Urology Coding Alert
Reader Question:
Check Whether You Can Unbundle 50240 and 60540
Published on Thu Mar 17, 2016
Question: The surgeon performed a left adrenalectomy and partial upper pole nephrectomy on a patient whose adrenal cancer was invading the upper pole of his left kidney. I know that adrenelctomy is bundled into radical nephrectomy, but what about partial nephrectomy?
Oklahoma Subscriber
Answer: CCI (Correct Coding Initiative) edits bundle the two procedures. Code 50240 (Nephrectomy, partial) includes 60540 (Adrenalectomy, partial or complete, or exploration of adrenal gland with or without biopsy, transabdominal, lumbar or dorsal [separate procedure]). For this operative session, submit only 50240 for both procedures.
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