# Interventional Radiologist Coding



## medcode (Jul 1, 2008)

I have an IR physician who removes a VAD by cutting the sutures and removing with firm traction can any one tell me if coding 36589 is acceptable.  He does not place a catheter back into the line for removal, just pulls it, which is part of the description in the Coders' Desk Reference.

Thanks for any help


----------



## dmaec (Jul 1, 2008)

not enough information to really say for certain.  Is this a tunneled Central Venous Access Device or non-tunneled? (assuming it is because that's the code area you're looking under) was local anesthesia used?  What code was used for the placement of the VAD? (just curious)


----------



## medcode (Jul 1, 2008)

I am posting the exact IR report for your review:

Procedure and Findings: After obtaining informed consent, the patient's right neck and chest wall, including a previously placed tunneled dialysis catheter, were prepped and draped in usual sterile fashion. Soft tissues along the subcutaneous catheter track were anesthetized with 5 cc of lidocaine. Using firm traction, the catheter was removed intact. There was immediate hemostasis. A sterile dressing was applied.

The patient tolerated the procedure without incident, and left the department in stable condition.





dmaec said:


> not enough information to really say for certain.  Is this a tunneled Central Venous Access Device or non-tunneled? (assuming it is because that's the code area you're looking under) was local anesthesia used?  What code was used for the placement of the VAD? (just curious)


----------



## MLS2 (Jul 10, 2008)

was the tunn. cath removed or the VAD?  that's unclear...


----------

