Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Question: The surgeon completed bifrontal craniotomy, periosteal sling with resection of mucocele, and closure of dural laceration. He diagnosed right frontal mucocele. Which procedures and diagnosis code do I report? Nevada Subscriber Answer: You have a couple of options to consider coding for this procedure, along with diagnosis 478.19 (Cyst or mucocele of nasal sinus) and any applicable fracture code: • 62100 (Craniotomy for repair of dural/cerebrospinal fluid leak, including surgery for rhinorrhea/otorrhea) for the craniotomy if the surgeon did not perform a skull base approach with osteotomy. The mucocele treatment would be part of the dural/cerebrospinal fluid leak repair. • 61582 (Craniofacial approach to anterior cranial fossa; extradural, including unilateral or bifrontal craniotomy, elevation of frontal lobe[s], osteotomy of base of anterior cranial fossa) for the skull base approach and 61600 (Resection or excision of neoplastic, vascular or infectious lesion of base of anterior cranial fossa; extradural) for the [...]