Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Keep a count on days, not adhesions or injections. Revisions to CPT® in recent years allow precise reporting of treatment of spinal adhesions, but to file a clean claim, you'll also need to know how to code associated procedures and which diagnoses to apply. For consistent claims success, rely on these four tips:1. Spot the Lysis in the Operative NoteSpinal adhesions, formed in the epidural space, may be lysed by a procedure called the "Racz catheter procedure", an invasive method commonly adopted for attempting to relieve pain. In this procedure, the surgeon places a wire catheter through the tailbone and advances it into the caudal canal and the lumbar epidural space. The surgeon then infuses an enzyme called hyaluronidase to break down the scar tissue. The surgeon also infuses hypertonic saline through the catheter to provide relief from pain and facilitate dissolution of the adhesions. Following this, steroids may be [...]