Wiki Reduction of small bowel obstruction

[Callieb]

Approximately 1 week after laparoscopic bilateral inguinal hernia repair on two seperate patients the dr. had to go back to surgery and do a "reduction of small bowel obstruction from peritoneal rent and repair of peritoneal rent or defect. Both of the patients are humana medicare patients. Do I code the reduction, repair or both and what codes do I use? The only codes I have come up with are 44050 and 44602 which don't seem right. I don't want to use an unlisted code if I don't have to. These were both done laparoscopically.

I have only used this site once and didn't get a response. Please I need your input. THANKS IN ADVANCE

 

[LindaEV]

It's hard to say without seeing an op report. Is there anyway you can post exactly what was done? It almost ssounds like a repeat hernia repair, where the reduction was part of the repair.