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Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Use 22318/22319 for Odontoid Screw

Published on Sat Mar 01, 2003

Question: Which code should I use to report placement of an anterior cervical odontoid screw?

Mississippi Subscriber Answer: CPT added 22318 (Open treatment and/or reduction of odontoid fracture[s] and or dislocation[s] [including os odontoideum], anterior approach, including placement of internal fixation; without grafting) and 22319 (... with grafting) in 2000 to report treatment of odontoid fracture (previously no specific CPT code described this procedure). Both codes include placement of an odontoid screw, and 22319 also includes placement of bone graft(s) to stabilize the fracture or dislocation which you, therefore, may not bill separately (the national Correct Coding Initiative, or CCI, also bundles grafting procedures to 22318/22319).

CCI bundles injection/pain management procedures 62310-62319, 64415-64417, 64450-64470, 64475 and 64479.
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