# field block



## Shawna Paul (Feb 25, 2011)

Does anyone know how to code a field block of the abdominal wall?  This is for a postoperative site.


----------



## dwaldman (Feb 26, 2011)

From the Atlas of Primary Care Procedures, I found "field block", = 
which appears to be a type of local anesthesia. 

"Field block anesthesia describes the infiltration of local anesthetic = 
in a circumferential pattern around a surgical site. Like nerve blocks, = 
field blocks are used to anesthetize large areas of skin. Field blocks = 
differ from nerve blocks in that more than one nerve experiences = 
interruption of the nerve transmission. The technique permits large areas = 
to be anesthetized, and it is useful for large dermatologic procedures. = 
The field block does not disrupt the architecture of the surgical site and = 
often is administered for facial or cosmetic repairs." 

But they don't also provide the codinig which could represent a  procedure with a similiar technique that has a CPT or just an unlisted code.


----------



## preserene (Feb 26, 2011)

Field block is one type of *regional block*
depending upon the area where the peripheral Nerve block is given.- inrelation to the umbilicus would help us to select the code:-

*Thoracoabdominal nerves T7-T11 *-  supplies(sensory) between internal oblique and transverse abdominal muscles and cutaneous supply:
T7-T9 superior to umbilicus
T10- at the level of umbilicus
T11-inferior to umbilicus
T12- (subcostal nerves)inferior to the umbilicus.
L1-    illiohypogastric - to the wall inferior to the umbilicus.
L1- illioinguinal nerves- to the wall inferior to the umbelicus.

In so saying, we may have to select from the 64420- 64425 and would have to append with-59 for any of these nerve block.


I feel that filed block is a type of regional block , the regional block code 64421 would fit these scenerio.
However experts in pain management coding would clarify it better for us!


----------

