# Serial dilatation



## Leily911 (Mar 21, 2010)

I need to code "Serial dilatation of venous to 5 french"

I came up with 34490.  It's the dilation of the arteriovenous graft of an end stage renal disease patient.  This is how I coded:

1. Left upper arm thrombectomy:  35875-LT
2. Serial dilatation of the venous to 5 french:  34490

Please let me know if this is right.  The operative report is very vague.  It doesn't say anything about Patient's history and the grounds on which the decision for surgery was based.  It basically explains the incision and the exposure of the graft and then thrombectomy of the graft and dilation of it from 3-french to 5-french.   There is no mention of a balloon procedure.  "There was a good palpable thrill and dopplerable thrill on the graft" post closrure.  

Any ideas?


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## 00029754 (Mar 22, 2010)

Look at 36831 for the thrombectomy & 35460 for the angioplaasty.  Do you also need the S&I codes? (75790+ 75978)

Marty Conroy


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## Leily911 (Mar 22, 2010)

*venous or graft?*



00029754 said:


> Look at 36831 for the thrombectomy & 35460 for the angioplaasty.  Do you also need the S&I codes? (75790+ 75978)
> 
> Marty Conroy





the operative report does not mention the use of any imaging.  It's an open surgery and it seems that the removal of the clog and the dilatation of the graft were all done visually during an open surgery.  I don't think I would need the radiology codes for that.  

As far as 35460...does it matter that it says venous and not graft?


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