# Aspiration/Arthrogram



## schuchmanb (Oct 2, 2009)

Good morning, 

I am getting a lot of charges for patients with pain following total joint replacements (usually hip) where the docs are doing an aspiration under fluoro to check for infection, then injecting dye & performing various numbers of views to check for prosthesis loosening.  Should these be coded as 20610/77002-26 or would the arthrogram codes 27093/73525-26 be more appropriate?  Seems to me that this is not a true arthrogram, but it is more than a typical aspiration/injection for arthritis pain.  

Any thoughts/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.


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## ksmile (Oct 2, 2009)

Hi,
This exam should be coded as Injection/Aspiration of Joint, not as a diagnostic arthrogram procedure. Also you can bill seperately for the drug you are injecting, if your doc purchased. 
Hope this helps


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