Anesthesia Coding Alert
Choose 00470 Over 00550 for Sternal Wire Removal
Question: I could use some help coming up with an anesthesia code for this service. The pre- and postoperative diagnoses were “chronic draining sinus from prior internal plating of the sternum.” During the procedure, the surgeon explored the sternal incision and removed a lower sternal talon and a sternal wire (in the midbody of the sternum and inferiorly). I thought about coding this as 00550, but am not sure that’s correct. What do you recommend? New Mexico Subscriber Answer: The ASA Relative Value guide lists 00470 (Anesthesia for partial rib resection; not otherwise specified) as appropriate for sternal wire removal, so that’s your best code to consider first. You don’t mention any sternal debridement, so 00550 (Anesthesia for sternal debridement) probably isn’t as appropriate at 00470.
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