Urology Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Resolve This SP Tube Polyp Procedure

Question: After prepping and draping the patient in standard manner and administering monitored anesthesia care (MAC), the urologist removed an old suprapubic (SP) tube and replaced it with a new SP tube. The patient had a very large polypoid skin tag at the SP tube site. A needlepoint Bovie was used to excise the excess thin polyp from that SP tube site. Good hemostasis was obtained. Dressing was placed and the procedure was completed. The patient was then sent to the post-anesthesia room (PAR) in stable condition. The urologist will follow up in a month. Which code should be reported for this procedure?

Georgia Subscriber

Answer: Report CPT® code 51705 (Change of cystostomy tube; simple) for the change of the suprapubic catheter. For a complicated tube change, you would look to 51710 (Change of cystostomy tube; complicated).

In addition, report 11200 (Removal of skin tags, multiple fibrocutaneous tags, any area; up to and including 15 lesions) for this procedure.

Don’t forget: If the urologist removes more than 15 lesions, you should also report add-on code +11201 (Removal of skin tags, multiple fibrocutaneous tags, any area; each additional 10 lesions, or part thereof (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)).