Please note this question was answered in 2014. The coding advice may or may not be outdated.
Endarterectomy vs. Stent Placement
Question:
I cannot locate information for coding femoral endarterectomy and stent placement. "Operative Note: After completion of the endovascular stent graft, the external iliac, profunda femoris, and SFA were clamped and the sheath removed. A longitudinal incision was created in the common femoral artery, and extensive plaquing was noted, necessitating endarterectomy of distal external iliac, common femoral, and profunda femoris origin. Additionally, a stent was placed in the proximal superficial femoral artery to tack down the plaque at this level. This was performed, and then a patch angioplasty was used to close the arteriotomy." Would it be appropriate to code for the endarterectomy (35371) or the stent (37226), as I don't feel you can code for both procedures since they are within the same vessel.
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