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Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Case Study:

Capture PEEK Cage Reimbursement By Counting Levels

Published on Mon Oct 03, 2011

Your surgeon may use polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages to achieve cervical interbody fusion. PEEK cages are reported for each level not for each cage. Let the question and the advice below guide your PEEK cage coding. Question:Our surgeon performed corpectomies at C4 and C5, fusion(s) from C3-C6. PEEK cage and 30 mm screws were used. The surgeon used three separate, stackable, PEEK cages to fill the space. How should we report this procedure?Advice: In this case, the surgeon has fused across 3 levels - C3-4, C4-5, C5-6 and used three cages. Following the process below should get you to the right codes for your surgeon's work.Code for Device ApplicationYou would report code 22851(Application of intervertebral biomechanical device[s][eg, synthetic cage[s], methylmethacrylate] to vertebral defect or interspace [List separately in addition to code for primary procedure]) once, since the prosthetic devices were filling a single intervertebral defect, which is the space between C3 [...]
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