Wiki VATS/Robotic Esophageal Diverticulectomies and Diaphragm Procedures

[bdmason]

One of my cts surgeons states the practice he came from billed VATS/Robotic Esophageal Diverticulectomies as cpt 43130 & 43135, & the VATS/Robotic Diaphragm procedures as the cpt 39545, 39560, and 39561 because none of these codes specify Open/Thoracotomy/Laparotomy. But the STS stated to bill all these as an Unlisted code in the 2021 STS Coding Workshop so that is what I have been doing.
Can you all please let me know what your practice codes for these? I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[nickelclaw]

That is correct 43130 for hypopharynx or esophagus, cervical approach and 43135 for thoracic approach. The VATS always includes diagnostic thoracoscopy.
I can't say on the others not sure what would be done

 

[denisek1028]

One of my cts surgeons states the practice he came from billed VATS/Robotic Esophageal Diverticulectomies as cpt 43130 & 43135, & the VATS/Robotic Diaphragm procedures as the cpt 39545, 39560, and 39561 because none of these codes specify Open/Thoracotomy/Laparotomy. But the STS stated to bill all these as an Unlisted code in the 2021 STS Coding Workshop so that is what I have been doing.
Can you all please let me know what your practice codes for these? I would greatly appreciate it.

I agree with STS that these are unlisted. If you read the descriptions of the codes, for example, 43130, it says the surgeon makes an incision in the neck which is not VATS.