Ask Dr. Z

Can we bill an antibiotic pouch (11981) along with code 33215 in the same pocket? "Example: The patient was in atrial fibrillation. The patient underwent cardioversion. The patient was prepped and draped as sterile field. 20 mL of 1% lidocaine was used for local anesthesia. Then, using incision made in the left infraclavicular area where the prior incision and a pocket was opened and the device was explanted. The atrial lead was released from the sutures. Then, the lead was revised with new positioning. The patient had excellent sensing and threshold and lead was secured using 2-0 Ticron suture. Appropriate maneuvers were performed to document the absence of movement of lead with deep inspiration or coughing. Then, the lead was connected to the generator, placed in the pocket header side up. The generator was placed inside the antibiotic pouch after pocket was irrigated copiously with antibiotic and saline solution. The pocket was closed in 2 running layers of absorbable suture and third layer of Steri-Strips."