Anesthesia Coding Alert
Choosing Your Code for AAA Endograft Repair
Question: The surgeon used an endograft to repair an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). What anesthesia code should I report?
Michigan Subscriber
Answer: Your best option is 01926 (Anesthesia for therapeutic interventional radiological procedures involving the arterial system; intracranial, intracardiac, or aortic). It has a base value of 10 units.
Explanation: During an endograft, the surgeon inserts a fabric-covered metallic stent into an abdominal aortic aneurysm without making an incision on the abdomen. If the surgeon uses an open approach to complete the repair, your anesthesia coding options are 00770 (Anesthesia for all procedures on major abdominal blood vessels) and 00880 (Anesthesia for procedures on major lower abdominal vessels; not otherwise specified). Each of these anesthesia codes has a base value of 15 because of the additional work associated with an open approach.
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Choosing Your Code for AAA Endograft Repair
Question: The surgeon used an endograft to repair an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). What anesthesia code [...]
