# New to Coding Interventional Cardiology-HELP!!



## erubritz (Feb 1, 2013)

I'm new to Interventional Cardiology and well I'm new to pretty much everything Cardiology related.  I am coding for the physician side of the procedure.


Patient is a 75 y/o female with COPD, anxiety with chest pain underwent cardiac catheterization two days earlier.  She was found to have borderline mid RC lesion and chest pain, so was referred for pressure wire assessment of RCA.

The following interventional procedures were undertaken:

      1. Mid RCA: After zeroing and normalizing the pressure wire was advanced across the lesion.
                a) The baseline pressure ratio was 0.98.
                b) Maximum hyperemia was achived with intracoronary boluses of adenosine (20, 40, 60, 80 micrograms).  The fractional flow reserve (FFR) was 0.93.



>On the next page is were the doctor has the start of the procedure...(this set-up is very strange to me)


The following vascular access was obtained:
     -right radial artery; 5 Fr catheter; sheath; percutaneous approach.
     -left radial artery; 5 Fr catheter; sheath; percutaneous approach.



HELP!!!!   Any advice, or helpful hints, along with codes would greatly be appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Elizabeth, CPC-A


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## em2177 (Feb 1, 2013)

CPT Code 93571 is for the pressure wire (FFR).


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## erubritz (Feb 5, 2013)

That's not the only code that you use, would you?  I only ask because 93571 is an add-on code so I need a base code for it to go with.

I originally came coded 92920-RC  +93571-RC, but then I wasn't sure if I code the catheters as well, or code the cath instead of the 92920.....this would be where I started confussing myself and needed guidance on what to code.


Elizabeth R., CPC-A


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