Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Question: How should I report an occipital rhizotomy?

Washington Subscriber

Answer: Although the question does not specify the location, the most common rhizotomy is performed at the greater occipital nerve (see article above). You should report 64640 (Destruction by neurolytic agent; other peripheral nerve or branch) for performing a desctuctive lesion of the occipital nerve.