Anesthesia Coding Alert
Crossing Mediport Placement to Anesthesia
Question: I’m coding for a patient with breast cancer (C50.912, C77.3) who received a Mediport. The documentation states “Left cephalic vein Mediport placement/C-arm.” I’m having trouble finding the appropriate procedure and anesthesia codes. What do you suggest? South Carolina Subscriber Answer: If you are looking for both the surgery and anesthesia codes, you will report the Mediport placement with 36561 (Insertion of tunneled centrally inserted central venous access device, with subcutaneous port; age 5 years or older). The correct anesthesia cross code is 00532 (Anesthesia for access to central venous circulation), which carries 4 base units. Also include the diagnoses you mentioned, provided you have sufficient supporting documentation: C50.912 (Malignant neoplasm of unspecified site of left female breast) and C77.3 (Secondary and unspecified malignant neoplasm of axilla and upper limb lymph nodes).
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