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Anesthesia Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Several Options Apply for Prostate Seed Implant

Published on Thu Mar 01, 2007

Question: What anesthesia code should I submit for prostate seed implant?

Kansas Subscriber


Answer: Base your coding on the physician's approach or on what he tells you about the procedure.

You'll most likely report radioactive seed implants with 55860 (Exposure of prostate, any approach, for insertion of radioactive substance), which crosses to anesthesia code 00860 (Anesthesia for extraperitoneal procedures in lower abdomen, including urinary tract; not otherwise specified).

Code 55875 (Transperineal placement of needles or catheters into prostate for interstitial radioelement application, with or without cystoscopy) might apply instead, depending on the surgeon's approach. Code 55875 crosses to anesthesia code 00400 (Anesthesia for procedures on the integumentary system on the extremities, anterior trunk and perineum; not otherwise specified) with alternate code 00902 (Anesthesia for; anorectal procedure).

Because of all the options, talk with your physicians to learn the approach so you can code accordingly.

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