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Urology Coding Alert

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Aspire to Correct Aspiration Coding

Published on Fri Aug 01, 2003

Question: How should I code the aspiration of a seminal vesicle abscess under ultrasound guidance with a subsequent injection of Gentamicin?

Maine Subscriber

Answer: You're probably having difficulty coding these services because no one CPT Code describes all of the procedures you are reporting and each code that you do need is in a different section of CPT.

Report the aspiration of the seminal vesical abscess with 10160* (Puncture aspiration of abscess, hematoma, bulla, or cyst), and report the ultrasonic guidance with CPT 76942 (Ultrasonic guidance for needle placement [e.g., biopsy, aspiration, injection, localization device], imaging supervision and interpretation).

Although you may be tempted, don't use aspiration codes 10021 (Fine needle aspiration; without imaging guidance) and 10022 ( with imaging guidance) use these codes only for aspiration for cytological studies for possible carcinomas, not drainage procedures. You can assign an additional code (J1580, Injection, Garamycin, gentamicin, up to 80 mg) for the drug supply.
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