Ask Dr. Z

"In 2012, patient had left mini-thoracotomy and placement of epicardial pacing system; however, the place where these leads were attached to the pacemaker generator was infected. In view of this, in October 2014, the leads were truncated at the point where they were entering the pericardial space, removing the remaining part of the leads towards the pacemaker generator as well as the generator itself. This admission, patient was temporized with a transvenous pacemaker system from the neck and was sent to Cardiothoracic Surgery for placement of epicardial leads. Upon performing median sternotomy, we noted significant adhesions inside of the pericardial space from the previous opening of the pericardium. These adhesions were carefully taken down to the point where I was able to identify 3 epicardial leads that were placed before and were truncated at the level of the entry into the pericardial space. These were carefully released and removed and sent to the pathology." The only code I am coming up with is 33999 (in addition to 33202/33221-51, implant report not attached).