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Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Spinal Punctures

Published on Mon Oct 01, 2001

Question: How do lumbar puncture codes 62270 and 62288 differ?

Wisconsin Subscriber  
Answer: Report 62270 (spinal puncture, lumbar, diagnostic) when drawing spinal fluid for diagnostic purposes, such as to confirm or rule out meningitis, to determine if there is blood in the spinal fluid following trauma or to identify other infections.
 
Code 62288 has been removed from CPT, but two more-precise codes have been added to take its place: 62310 (injection, single [not via indwelling catheter], not including neurolytic substances, with or without contrast [for either localization or epidurography], of diagnostic or therapeutic substance[s] [including anesthetic, antispasmodic, opioid, steroid, other solution], epidural or subarachnoid; cervical or thoracic) and 62311 (... lumbar, sacral [caudal]), which are reported when the physician injects a substance into the spine to treat an infection or other condition.
 
Note: Always code from the latest version of CPT. The manual is updated each year and usually becomes available in October or November.
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