# What constitutes a separate surgical session?



## ksschroeder (Jan 5, 2011)

If a patient had a surgical procedure that was completed but while the surgeon was closing the skin incision, the patient crashed so they had to go back in and do another surgical procedure, would they be considered 2 separate surgical sessions or the same session?  The patient remained under anesthesia and never left the OR inbetween the 2 procedures.  I am looking for an official source that I can show to the surgeon to support.

Thank you,


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## jdrueppel (Jan 10, 2011)

kcassidy,

Since the patient never left the operating room, in my opinion, I would NOT consider your example to be a separate surgical session.  I have attached the NCCI Overview Chapter 1 link.  See Section C #13 for the clarification.

C:\DOCUME~1\User\LOCALS~1\Temp\NCCI_Policy_Manual-1.zip

Julie D, CPC


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