# Baker's Cyst of the Knee



## skrupicki (Jul 12, 2009)

I am having trouble coding a decompression of a Baker's Cyst during Arthroscopic surgery. It is being done with a spinal needle. I was wondering if you could code a 20610 for aspiration. Sounds right to me but thought I would get someone else's opinion.


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## lchristy (Jul 13, 2009)

If the aspiration of the cyst in the knee was performed arthroscopically i believe you would use the unlisted arthroscopy code 29999, as their is no  arthroscopic code for the aspiration of cyst in knee.




Leah


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## LTibbetts (Jul 13, 2009)

It sounds to me like it might have been "incidental" during the surgery. What was the arthroscopy for? Did the physician just happen to find it while he was in there or did he go in there specifically looking for it?


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## Bella Cullen (Jul 14, 2009)

I would have to agree and say this sounds incidental to the prime arthroscopic procedure.


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## skrupicki (Jul 14, 2009)

*Bakers Cyst*

Well....Because he is actually decompressing the cyst with a spinal needle and not through the arthroscopic port...it could be coded seperately...yes? And it is not technically an arthroscpic procedure so you wouldn't use an arthroscopic unlisted code, right?


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## mbort (Jul 15, 2009)

sheston said:


> Well....Because he is actually decompressing the cyst with a spinal needle and not through the arthroscopic port...it could be coded seperately...yes? And it is not technically an arthroscpic procedure so you wouldn't use an arthroscopic unlisted code, right?



that is correct.  You would use the 20610 w/59 modifier and of course the bakers cyst dx only for this line item.

BUT....before doing that...Was it an incidental finding?  or a planned procedure???? This is going to be the determining factor of billable or not billable.


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