Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Tip: Appropriate modifiers are the best rescue for your claims.You can confidently report your surgeon's burr hole drainage of subdural or extradural hematomas if you understand when you can append modifiers to codes for these services. Reviewing how to code multiple burr holes and identifying the appropriate sites will also strengthen your reporting of burr hole drainage procedures. Examine This CaseRead the operative note below for an example how your surgeon may document the burr hole drainage of a subdural hematoma: "The patient's head was partially shaved and was firmly held in the neutral position using Mayfield head pins. The area was then prepped and draped using an antibiotic solution. A transverse linear incision of around 3 cm in length was made over the frontal and parietal convexities to reflect the scalp over the area of the hematoma. An air powered drill was then used to make a hole around [...]