Wiki Corpectomies for instrumentation

[KristinM522]

Hi everyone! Spine coding is just a small part of my everyday coding so I am a little lost in all the verbage I have been reading, I'm hoping someone here can help make it a tad simplier for me!

I have a question about billing a corpectomy. Doc states "Partial corpectomy L4 & L5 to facilitate application of PEEK prosthesis and restoration of sagittal alignment" my question is if he is doing the corpectomy for these reasons but with a lumbar fusion (22558) is it still billable? I guess I'm saying if a corpectomy is done to faciliate instrumentation/prosthesis does it still count or is that included in the fusion?

I appreciate ANY help or information anyone can give me!!

Thank you!

 

[LLynn29]

The corpectomy code can be reported if the surgeon documents removal of at least 1/3 of the vertebral body in the thoracic and lumbar spine (50% for cervical). Discectomies above and below the corpectomy are included in the corpectomy code but the arthrodesis can be reported separately.

 

[KristinM522]

Thank you so much for the clarity! I really appreciate it!