Wiki Help with coding a surgery! Complications of cataract sx.

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Robdivsa

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Hi all,
My doctors had planned a basic cataract removal procedure, when a tear happened in the capsular bag. An anterior vitrectomy was performed and the patient was left aphakic.

I am doubting myself and going between two options. Only code the vitrectomy(code the cataract later when it is completed). OR Code BOTH the cataract sx and the vitrectomy.

I can't seem to find anything online concerning this issue. My supervisor is saying to bill the vitrectomy only. But I want to make sure, since most of the cataract extraction was completed.
 
If the cataract surgery was discontinued "due to extenuating circumstances" you should report it with a modifier -53. The diagnosis should report the iatrogenic injury (if it was iatrogenic). Medicare does not allow the surgeon who caused the injury to bill separately for repairing it.
 
After some ridiculously extensive research. I have found ONE thing that has helped a little. One article stated that if a vitrectomy was done in response to a tear, it is indicental to the cataract surgery, and should NOt be billed separately. OK fine, but if the patient was left aphakic do I still use 66984 OR a code from 66830 through 66940?
 
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