Wiki Peripheral atherectomy without a device?

CLentz78

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Physician states he attempted to perform a lower extremity atherectomy but "vessel was completely occluded. We were able to remove the plaque and open the vessel, but we did not use an atherectomy device." So he removed the plaque using just the catheter, no atherectomy device. Is it still coded as an atherectomy? Note: Nothing else was performed, no angioplasty, no stent placement, just plaque removal using the catheter.
 
If the atherectomy device was introduced then removed because of the total occlusion, report the atherectomy code with modifier 53 [or 74 for hospital]. If only the catheter was used, then use the cath code.
 
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