Neurosurgery Coding Alert

In the January 2005 Neurosurgery Coding Alert, Vol. 6, No. 1, the example described in "Scenario #2" on page 5 stated, "The surgeon performs arthrodesis at three levels: C3, C4 and C5." The example listed the appropriate coding for this scenario as 22554 (Arthrodesis, anterior interbody technique, including minimal diskectomy to prepare interspace [other than for decompression]; cervical below C2) and 2 x +22585 (... each additional interspace [list separately in addition to code for primary procedure]).

Because you should report arthrodesis per interspace, rather than per level, the scenario should have been described as, "The surgeon performs arthrodesis at three vertebral interspaces: C3/C4, C4/C5 and C5/C6." Coding would remain 22554 (for the first cervical interspace below segment C2) and 22585 x 2 (for the second and third cervical interspaces that the physician treats).