# codes requiring anesthesia



## AHESLER (Feb 25, 2015)

If we perform a closed treatment of an interphalangeal joint dislocation and the doctor has noted that digital anesthesia 2cc's lidocaine uses for patient comfort should I use cpt 26775 or 26770?  Is a topical numbing considered anesthesia?


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## dwaldman (Feb 25, 2015)

December 2006 page 16

AMA CPT Assistant
Special Issue 2006 Q&As:Anesthesia

Question

Do the phrases "with anesthesia" or "requiring anesthesia" in CPT code descriptors preclude the reporting of anesthesia codes? 

AMA Comment

It should be noted that there are certain CPT code descriptors in the CPT codebook that include the phrases "with anesthesia" or "requiring anesthesia." These phrases indicate that the work involved in performing that procedure requires anesthesia, whether it is general anesthesia, regional anesthesia, or monitored anesthesia care. The appropriate anesthesia code is reported separately. Moderate (conscious) sedation is not an anesthesia service.


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