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Facet joint aspiration
Question:
How would you suggest coding facet joint aspirations? We have been seeing these more frequently and would like to know your input. Example: "With CT guidance and local anesthesia applied using 1% of subcutaneous lidocaine, the left and right L4-L5 facet joints were entered with 20 gauge spinal needles. Serosanguinous fluid was aspirated." According to question 5136 submitted in October 2013, it was suggested to use 20600 with the guidance code. Is this still your recommendation? Or should this be coded as an unlisted code of 64999?
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