Neurosurgery Coding Alert
Reader Question:
Check for Tethered Cord Release
Published on Fri Feb 01, 2013
Question: What code(s) can we report for tethered spinal cord syndrome?
Answer: Tethered spinal cord syndrome is a congenital problem of growth and development. Tethered spinal cord syndrome may not be diagnosed until later in childhood. The ICD-9 code you can report is 742.59 (Other specified anomalies of spinal cord).
Note: For release of tethered cord, you report code 63200 (Laminectomy, with release of tethered spinal cord, lumbar). You may also report +69990 (Microsurgical techniques, requiring use of operating microscope [List separately in addition to code for primary procedure]) for the microdissection performed, if any.
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