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37221-50

Date: Nov 2, 2012

Question:

Hello Dr. Z, I have a question about diagnostic angiography performed with stent placement in bilateral iliac artery. I think it is ok to bill 75630 with modify 59 for diagnostic angiography, but I was told not to. Please advice, thank you. By the way, can we bill 37220 with modify 50 for bilateral in this case? Arteriogram confirmed that the puncture was in the common femoral artery and a Bentson wire was uneventfully advanced up into the abdominal aorta. An Omni Flush catheter were then advanced and a angiogram was performed. Findings showed the proximal common iliac artery stenosis which was near occlusive with a patent hypogastric artery and external iliac artery. The left side and had normal flow with no flow-limiting stenoses in the common iliac, external iliac artery, or internal iliac arteries. Next we proceeded to gain access on the right side. Using a micropuncture set, the common femoral artery was punctured and a Bentson wire was advanced up to the near occlusion. A glide catheter was then placed over the wire and this was advanced to the stenosis. A glide wire was then advanced through the glide catheter and this traversed the near occlusion into the abdominal aorta and the glide catheter was then advanced over this into the abdominal aorta. The Glidewire was exchanged for an Amplatz wire and the glide catheter was removed. We then proceeded to place an 8 x 58 mm Omnilink stent on the right side, which was a balloon-expandable stent, and a 9 x 38 mm balloon expandable Omnilink stent on the left side. This was advanced into the abdominal aorta with about a 1 cm overlap and these were inflated simultaneously in a kissing fashion. A repeat angiogram was shot at the conclusion of this which showed still some waist in the right common iliac artery. Thus a decision was made to perform an angioplasty at this level with a 9 x 20 mm EverCross balloon. At the conclusion of this, another angiogram was shot which showed resolution of the stenosis and no flow-limiting areas within both stents. The entire iliac system was patent.
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