Your ZHealth Coding Newsletter for
November 2006
Here’s a
recent coding Q & A from a ZHealth Online member
(and remember if you’re not a member of ZHealth
Online you can try it out for week—for
free).
Coding
Question: Dr Z, please help us in coding this
case. An incision was made into the AV graft. Clot
removed from venous limb with some resistance to the
catheter as it passed thru. I felt the best approach
would be to dilate the venous anastomosis because of
poor back bleeding. French angioplasty was used to
dilate the venous anastomosis. Graftotomy was closed
with suture. A weak thrill was noted so I placed a 7
French introducer below my graftotomy site and shot a
shuntogram. No strictures were noted, puncture site
closed. Subcutaneous tissue and skin then closed. Do we
code the 36831.59 (separate procedure), 35460, 75978,
75790 and 36145.59.
Dr.
Z’s Answer: I would use the code 36833. The
balloon venoplasty was performed via the surgical access
and the site that was ballooned was part of the graft,
and so that would be considered part of the surgical
site. 38831 and the open venoplasty
codes could be used together for treatment of a venous
stenosis substantially away from the graft (i.e., in the
subclavian vein) with a balloon and surgical declot of
the graft itself however. Because the graft and surgery
was for the most part over, and a new percutaneous
puncture was made for the diagnostic shuntogram (due to
poor flow), I would code for this with 36145 and 75790.
Please reference this and other similar questions to the
new Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Coding
Reference, 2007 Edition that Dr. David
Dunn and I authored -- which is due out in January
2007.
3 NEW ZHealth Publications – Order Today
– SAVE by ordering all 3
Dr.
Z’s Medical Coding Series:
Interventional Radiology Coding
Reference: 2007 Edition – Release
date: January 2007
Dr.
Z’s Medical Coding Series:
Vascular & Endovascular Coding
Reference: 2007 Edition – Release
date: January 2007
Dr.
Z’s Medical Coding Series:
Interventional Cardiology Coding
Reference: 2007 Edition – Release
date: March 2007
Each one of
these publications is THE most current,
comprehensive and invaluable coding reference
available for all professionals involved in the complex
world of coding interventional radiology, vascular,
endovascular, and cardiology procedures. Order all three by December 31, 2006,
and you’ll receive a $105 discount, PLUS you’ll get a
free version of the 2006 Interventional Radiology Coding
Reference. In addition, ZHealth Online members will
receive an additional 10% off this time-limited offer.
We’ll ship you the first two coding books (and the 2006
IR Coding book) in January and the Cardiology Coding
Reference in March. Order
your coding references today.
2007 ZHealth Coding
Conferences
The final
ZHealth Coding Conference 2006 was held a
couple weeks ago in Las
Vegas. Our schedule for
2007 is as follows:
February 20-23 at the
Caleo Resort in Phoenix, AZ
May 8-11 at the Radisson in Chicago
Sept 11-14
in Nashville at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel
And November
in Las Vegas (exact date and place will be available
soon)
Happy Holidays!
ZHealth
Publishing
