Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: One of our surgeons removed a stent from the coronary artery through a transcatheter. Which code should I report for this procedure?

North Carolina Subscriber

Answer: When the physician performs percutaneous transcatheter retrieval of an intravascular foreign body, such as a coronary artery stent, you should report 37203 (Transcatheter retrieval, percutaneous, of intravascular foreign body [e.g., fractured venous or arterial catheter]).

If the documentation demonstrates the findings of the retrieval, such as where the stent is located, report 75961-26 (Transcatheter retrieval, percutaneous, of intravascular foreign body [e.g., fractured venous or arterial catheter], radiological supervision and interpretation; professional component) for the radiological S&I. You should code the catheter placement separately, as long as the documentation supports the actual placement procedure. The scenario above does not specifically state the catheter placement, so the coder would need to analyze the operative report carefully to obtain the correct catheterization code(s).

Answers to You Be the Coder and Reader Questions provided by Dalrona Harrison, RN, BS, CCS-P, CPC, coding manager with Via Christi Medical Management of Wichita, Kan; Anne Karl, RHIA, CCS-P, CPC, coding & compliance specialist with the St. Paul Heart Clinic in Mendota Heights, Minn.; and Martha Gerant, CPC, a professional coder and reimbursement specialist for Cardiology Services in Olathe, Kan.