We are getting dinged by an outside auditor for our paracentesis coding regarding guidance. Auditor states the guidance must document the actual needle placement and doesn't feel the "ultrasound guided...paracentesis" is enough. This is a sample report:
The patient was placed supine on the ultrasound table and a preliminary ultrasound performed of the right lower quadrant. The deepest pocket of fluid was localized and the skin was then marked, prepped, and draped in normal sterile fashion. 2% Lidocaine was used for local skin anesthesia. A skin incision was made and an 8-French catheter was inserted into the peritoneal cavity and approximately 1560 ml of yellow fluid was aspirated. The catheter was removed and a dressing was placed at the entry site. The patient tolerated the procedure well. Final imaging demonstrated no residual ascitic fluid in the peritoneal cavity.
IMPRESSION: Successful ultrasound guided right lower quadrant paracentesis using a catheter.
The radiologists we have tried to convey this "rule" to think we are nuts.... Thoughts? Any documentation out there to back this up for my docs?
Thanks!
The patient was placed supine on the ultrasound table and a preliminary ultrasound performed of the right lower quadrant. The deepest pocket of fluid was localized and the skin was then marked, prepped, and draped in normal sterile fashion. 2% Lidocaine was used for local skin anesthesia. A skin incision was made and an 8-French catheter was inserted into the peritoneal cavity and approximately 1560 ml of yellow fluid was aspirated. The catheter was removed and a dressing was placed at the entry site. The patient tolerated the procedure well. Final imaging demonstrated no residual ascitic fluid in the peritoneal cavity.
IMPRESSION: Successful ultrasound guided right lower quadrant paracentesis using a catheter.
The radiologists we have tried to convey this "rule" to think we are nuts.... Thoughts? Any documentation out there to back this up for my docs?
Thanks!