Anesthesia Coding Alert
Tracheal Puncture Outweighs Esophagoscopy
Question: What should I report for an esophagoscopy and placement of a tracheal esophageal puncture?
Oregon Subscriber
Answer: The surgeon performed two procedures during the session, but you'll only report the higher-base procedure for your anesthesiologist.
The esophagoscopy code is 43200 (Esophagoscopy, rigid or flexible; diagnostic, with or without collection of specimen[s] by brushing or washing [separate procedure]), which crosses to 00740 (Anesthesia for upper gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures, endoscope introduced proximal to duodenum).
The tracheal puncture code is 31612 (Tracheal puncture, percutaneous with transtracheal aspiration and/or injection), which crosses to 00320 (Anesthesia for all procedures on esophagus, thyroid, larynx, trachea and lymphatic system of neck; not otherwise specified, age 1 year or older).
Code 00320 carries six units, and 00740 has five. Therefore, you should report 00320 for the case and include the total time for both procedures.
Answers to You Be the Coder and Reader Questions were provided by Denise Giliberti, CPC, practice manager for NM Anesthesia Associates PC in New Milford, Conn.
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