# Thoracentesis performed help on code



## whatwillthen@hotmail.com (Jul 11, 2013)

Performed an aspiration via thoracentesis on a patient in observation status in hospital. Later on the same day accumulation of fliud was why the patient returned to the procedure room and the same physician did a repeat thoracentesis.
is the code 32554-59 correct? Is 511.81 correct? Do you see any others?


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## mitchellde (Jul 12, 2013)

you need to read up on your modifiers, if a procedure is repeated in a different session on the same day you do not use the 59 modifier.  Go to the Appendix A in the CPT book and read your modifier descriptions, you should be able to figure out the correct one, but I will tell you it is not the 59.  as far as the dx code there is no way to advise as you did not indicate what the documented reason for the aspiration was.


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