# Fish bone in tonsil



## nbohm (Sep 25, 2013)

Does anyone have guidance on which code would be most appropriate in the following surgical case:

Endoscope was used for light source and with tongue depressor removed fish bone from tonsil without sedation.  

Which would be the most appropriate code - 42809 or 42999?


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## jmcpolin (Sep 25, 2013)

Physician Responsibility
After administration of local anesthesia, the physician uses a tongue depressor to visualize the pharynx area containing a foreign particle. The foreign body also can be localized using an image intensifier. The foreign body is then grasped by a compressing tool and taken out of the pharynx.

This is the description of 42809, so I would say this code.


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