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Urology Coding Alert

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Urinary Sphincter or Sling

Published on Fri Feb 01, 2002

Test your coding knowledge.  Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the box below for the answer.
Question: How should I code for placement of an artificial urinary sphincter? Is it the same as a sling?

Maryland Subscriber

    Answer: Use newly revised code CPT 53445 (Insertion of inflatable urethral/bladder neck sphincter, including placement of pump, reservoir, and cuff) for an artificial urinary sphincter. Also see CPT 53446 (Removal of inflatable urethral/bladder neck sphincter, including pump, reservoir, and cuff) and 53449 (Repair of inflatable urethral/bladder neck sphincter, including pump, reservoir, and cuff), which are used for removal or repair, often with 53445.
 
Code 53440 (Operation for correction of male urinary incontinence, with or without introduction of prosthesis) is the male counterpart of the sling procedure 57288 (Sling operation for stress incontinence [e.g., fascia or synthetic]).
 
Code 53445 represents placing an apparatus; 53440 is for performing the sling procedure.
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