Anesthesia Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Denver Shunt = Peritoneal-Venous Shunt

Question: What is a Denver shunt, and how should I code the procedure?


Louisiana Subscriber
Answer: A Denver shunt is a modification of the LeVeen peritoneovenous shunt. Physicians use it to treat ascites, a condition of excess fluid in the peritoneal cavity.

The physician places a subcutaneous plastic tube to continuously shunt ascites fluid from the peritoneal cavity to the jugular or subclavian vein. The surgeon reports 49425 (Insertion of peritoneal-venous shunt), and the anesthesiologist reports 00790 (Anesthesia for intraperitoneal procedures in upper abdomen including laparoscopy; not otherwise specified).
 
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in Revenue Cycle Insider
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more

Other Articles in this issue of

Anesthesia Coding Alert

View All