Ask Dr. Z

According to one of our vascular surgeons, all but one EVAR device utilized by our surgeons have an attached sheath. He is questioning whether code 34713 should only be billed with the GORE device. He states the others are sheathless. Example: "Endurant II was used for the following. I obtained bilateral common femoral artery sheath access initially by advancing wires and catheters, initially placing 6 French sheath and then deploying a Perclose device at the 12 o'clock position in each common femoral artery. The suture is left loose to be secured at the completion of the procedure to utilize the pre-close technique. Anticoagulation is achieved with heparin. I then advanced a larger sheath upsizing to a 16 French on the right and a 12 French on the left. Main body aortic extension using the 36 device is advanced and deployed proximally preserving the renal arteries. I then ballooned this out with a large balloon and then utilized for the endoanchors to fixate this more actively given his history of endoleak." Can code 34713 be billed for this case?