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Ligation of Lumbar Venous Branch to IVC

Date: Jul 2, 2020

Question:

Our surgeon was called in to OR for patient undergoing spinal fusion of L2-3 when significant venous bleeding was noted. He extended the incision medially and laterally, and irrigated and identified a lumbar branch coming off the IVC that had been partially transected and was bleeding. He oversewed with 4-0 Prolene on either side of the tear and placed a medium clip on either side as well. Would this be coded as 37799? Do you have a suggestion for comparison code? Maybe 37619, although the work seems more extensive for this code.

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