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Wiki Femoral puncture

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MKurtz67

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Our cardiologist was planning to perform a L heart cath and performed puncture of the right femoral artery in order to begin the cath but could not cannulate beyond the groin. The procedure was discontinued and the decision was made to cath the patient via the left radial artery.

How would you code/bill the femoral artery puncture/attempt to cath?

Marti
 
Hello, the attempt to catheterize the right femoral artery would not be coded. Per the CPT book under Cardiac Catheterization, the heart cath procedure "includes the introduction, positioning and repositioning, when necessary, of catheter(s)."

From your description, it sounds like the physician successfully accessed the left radial artery and completed the planned heart cath. So the heart cath would be coded without any additional code for the failed access involving the right femoral artery.

I hope this is helpful.

Jean Kayser CPC CIRCC
 
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