• If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ & read the forum rules. To view all forums, post or create a new thread, you must be an AAPC Member. If you are a member and have already registered for member area and forum access, you can log in by clicking here. If you've forgotten the password it can be reset on our sign in section by entering your registered Email Address or Username here. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below..

64721 and 25111

Messages
56
Location
Mobile, AL
Best answers
0
Is unbundling justified when done through the same incision with separate dx's? I advised the surgeon only CTR was billable, but she wants to add a 59 due to separate diagnoses (ganglion and CTS.)

Next, a 2cm longitudinal incision was made beginning 0.5 cm distal to the transverse wrist crease in line with the ulnar border of palmaris longus and heading towards the radial border of the ring finger. Proximally this incision was extended in a radial direction over the prominence of the cyst. Dissection was carried down through subcutaneous tissue and cautery was used to ensure hemostasis. The palmar fascia was identified and divided distally, revealing the underlying transverse carpal ligament. The transverse carpal ligament was sharply incised along it's length, distally to the level of palmar fat and proximally to the level of the antebrachial fascia with care being taken to preserve the underlying structures. Once a complete release was ensured with visual inspection and Freer palpation, the wound was copiously irrigated.

Attention was then turned to the cyst. The cyst was noted to be a large, multiloculated and arising from 2 separate stalks, 1 which appeared to be coming from the volar aspect of the STT joint and the second from the radiocarpal region. These were carefully dissected free from surrounding tissue. The underlying fascia was incised and the radial artery and accompanying veins were carefully protected. The cysts were excised in their entirety. The stalks were excised from the origin of the joint and a portion of capsule was excised along with it. Any further cystic appearing tissue was removed
 
The edit is a Standards of Medical/Surgical Practice edit. So probably not. Do you guys have a current sub. to Codex to check? I have a really old GSD so not much help. In this old one, 25110, 25115, 25295 are examples given of included. I probably wouldn't.

"Use of modifiers 59 or XE or XS to indicate different procedures/surgeries does not require a different diagnosis for each HCPCS/CPT coded procedure/surgery. Additionally, different diagnoses are not adequate criteria for use of modifiers 59 or XE or XS. The HCPCS/CPT codes remain bundled unless the procedures/surgeries are performed at different anatomic sites or separate patient encounters."
 
Top