Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Code For Each Cranial Procedure Your Surgeon Does

Published on Thu Aug 02, 2012

Question: Our neurosurgeon performed the below surgery:

Revision left frontoparietal craniotomy for excision of recurrent meningioma

Right frontoparietal craniotomy for excision of tumor

Application of cranial tongs

Duraplasty greater than 5 centimeters

Cranioplasty greater that 5 centimeters.

Is there a code for revision craniotomy and for the duraplasty?

New York Subscriber

Answer: While performance of bilateral craniotomies may be separately reportable if one is treating two separately identifiable lesions (which is not clear in the scenario provided), the closure of the craniotomy with dural repair and cranioplasty are considered bundled services with the craniotomy. In general, if you open a structure for surgery, the closure of the same structure is part of the same procedure. Harvest of graft for duraplsty from a separate site, if performed, may be reported separately.

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