Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Warning: A modifier shouldnt be a shoo-in when surgeon converts to an open procedure. If youre scrambling to find a code to describe when your neurosurgeon uses an endoscope during a lumbar discectomy, you could be making your task harder than it should be. Take this five-question challenge and avoid these claim calamities. Figure Out These 5 Questions Question 1: The neurosurgeon performs fenestration of an intracranial cyst employing an open approach using craniectomy. How should you report this? Question 2: The neurosurgeon performs fenestration of an intracranial colloid cyst using the neuroendoscope.How should you report this? Question 3: The surgeon attempts to remove a pituitary tumor via the endoscope (62165, Neuroendoscopy,intracranial; with excision of pituitary tumor,transnasal or transsphenoidal approach). During the initial approach, however, the surgeon encounters unexpected anatomical features that make using the endoscope too risky. The surgeon removes the endoscope and instead opts to remove the tumor [...]