Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: How should I code an auriculotemporal nerve block?


South Carolina Subscriber

Answer: If the physician blocks the nerve, report CPT 64450 (Injection, anesthetic agent; other peripheral nerve or branch); append modifier -50 (Bilateral procedure) if he performs a bilateral block. If he performs a destruction instead, submit 64640 (Destruction by neurolytic agent; other peripheral nerve or branch).

Physicians administer auriculotemporal nerve blocks to diagnose or treat painful conditions such as post-traumatic neuralgia, acute herpes zoster, and pain secondary to malignancy. They may also use it to provide surgical anesthesia during some types of lesion removal and laceration repair.