Anesthesia Coding Alert
Code Lumbar Sympathetic and Chain Blocks the Same
Question: How should I code a lumbar sympathetic chain block? What is the difference between this and a lumbar sympathetic block? One of our physicians administered both types of blocks (but on different patients). Answer: Anatomically, the sympathetic nerves are a chain of nerves that run on the front side of the spinal vertebrae. Providers typically inject about 10cc per level injected, which is a much larger volume of medication than with epidural steroid injections (ESI) or facet injections. The increased volume allows the medication to spread up and down the sympathetic chain, producing an improved sympathetic block. - Answers to You Be the Coder and Reader Questions were provided by Catherine Brink, CMM, CPC, CMSCS, president of HealthCare Resource Management Inc., in Spring Lake, N.J.
New Mexico Subscriber
The terminology your physician used here is similar to the old saying "You say tomato, I say to-mah-to." Whether he calls it a lumbar sympathetic block or a lumbar sympathetic chain block, he still performs the same procedure. Report it with 64520 (Injection, anesthetic agent; lumbar or thoracic [paravertebral sympathetic]).
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Code Lumbar Sympathetic and Chain Blocks the Same
Question: How should I code a lumbar sympathetic chain block? What is the difference between [...]
