I need help understanding sensory/mixed nerves. For example our neurologist performed the sensory NCS on the following:
L Median- Dig II
L Median- Palmar (mixed nerve)
R Median- Dig II
R Median- Palmar (mixed nerve)
L Ulnar- Dig V
L Ulnar- Palmar (mixed nerve)
R Ulnar- Dig V
R Ulnar- Palmar (mixed nerve)
I initially thought to count this as 4 studies as Appendix I does not separate sensory/mixed nerves, however, after reading a coding tip from CPT Assistant (March 2013) I got confused. It states: "A nerve conduction study is counted only once when mulitple sites on the same nerve are stimulated or recorded. Motor, sensory, mixed motor/sensory, or H-reflex tests are each counted per nerve tested."
The last sentence makes me think to count the mixed nerves separate. Thanks for any help in advance!
L Median- Dig II
L Median- Palmar (mixed nerve)
R Median- Dig II
R Median- Palmar (mixed nerve)
L Ulnar- Dig V
L Ulnar- Palmar (mixed nerve)
R Ulnar- Dig V
R Ulnar- Palmar (mixed nerve)
I initially thought to count this as 4 studies as Appendix I does not separate sensory/mixed nerves, however, after reading a coding tip from CPT Assistant (March 2013) I got confused. It states: "A nerve conduction study is counted only once when mulitple sites on the same nerve are stimulated or recorded. Motor, sensory, mixed motor/sensory, or H-reflex tests are each counted per nerve tested."
The last sentence makes me think to count the mixed nerves separate. Thanks for any help in advance!