ZHealth Coding Newsletter - March 2017
March 2017 Q & A
Question: Treating Tibioperoneal Trunk with PTA and SFA
I have heard that it may be possible to code for an intervention in the tibioperoneal trunk in the following two scenarios: 1. It is the only vessel treated; 2. It is separately treated in addition to an intervention in the anterior tibial artery. My patient has focal stenoses of the mid and distal SFA treated with angioplasty. A patent popliteal artery. Focal high grade stenoses in the superior aspect of the tibioperoneal trunk and within the distal tibioperoneal trunk at the bifurcation of the peroneal and tibial artery. These stenoses were treated with angioplasty as well.
Can I report code 37228 for the tibioperoneal trunk in addition to the SFA angioplasty (37224)? I'm a bit confused because the CPT code book indicates the tibioperoneal trunk would be considered part of the tibial/peroneal territory, but not a separate 4th segment of vessel. Does this mean if it is the only segment of vessels in the tibial/peroneal territory it is billed? Even if another territory is billed?
