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Neurosurgery Coding Alert

READER QUESTIONS:

Avoid +61795 Errors By Checking CCI Edits

Published on Fri Feb 13, 2009

Question: Is +61795 for intraoperative navigation or for planning prior to surgery? Kansas Subscriber Answer: Code +61795 (Stereotactic computer assisted volumetric [navigational] procedure, intracranial,extracranial, or spinal [List separately in addition to code for primary procedure]) describes services performed prior to surgery. Planning involved in +61795 may take about -one to two hours and includes determination of the coordinates for the target, measurement of the AC-PC line, and angle calculation,- according to the AMA's CPT Assistant,November 1999. What happens: Specifically, the surgeon uses a computer to determine various trajectories to assist in calculating the exact point of incision and entry before taking the patient into the operating suite. In effect, the surgeon creates a virtual image of the anatomy and surgical target on a computer to determine the best approach. Because +61795 is an add-on code, you must claim it in addition to a primary procedure, which could include many spinal [...]
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