Wiki No guidance with facet joint injection

[TammyVan]

My physician performed a facet joint injection at L4-5 during an open procedure due to the nerve root being extremely swollen. Guidance was not used...the enlarged facet joint was visualized under direct vision. I know I need to use the code range 20550-20553 for this procedure since guidance was not used, however I am uncertain which to use. Is the facet joint a single tendon sheath (20550), a single tendon origin/insertion (20551) or a trigger point for 1 or 2 muscles (20552).

HELP!!!!:

 

[mitchellde]

My understanding is that this is considered part of the surgical procedure and is not separately billable.