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How to use anatomical drawing to code selective catheter placement

Date: Oct 10, 2011

Question:

I am writing to request an explanation for the answer given to a test question in the Basic Catheter Selection module exam. The question was exactly as stated: Correct code(s) for left femoral access with catheter placed into the right superficial artery for angiogram is (are: 36247, 36246, 36245 36247, 36200 36247 36247, 36140 The correct answer was indicated as 36247. I cannot see how that was selected. Is the cath placement in the right superficial FEMORAL artery (femoral was not in the test question, but I assumed that was the vessel in question); if so, the access was on the left and the diagram Lower Extremity Arterial Anatomy Right Transfemoral Approach leads me to 36245 for the right leg in this diagram. 36247 is the code for the left leg. I think the left approach is starting me off on the wrong diagram and I need to choose the code based on the Order of the vessel selected (3rd order, initial, lower extremity) and the fact that it is a selective (placed) catheter. Please explain how to use the diagram to simplify Basic Catheter Selection. Thanks so very much for your extremely helpful webinars, but I do want to be sure I get the basics down pat now.

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