Advanced Search

Neurosurgery Coding Alert

You Be the Coder:

Be Confident For Skull Base Approach

Published on Tue Jul 05, 2011

Question: A 50-year-old woman presented with visual field loss and diplopia secondary to a midline skull base tumor invading her right cavernous sinus, suprasellar, parasellar, and clival regions for which she was operated. Through an endoscopic approach to skull base, resection of right middle turbinate, sphenoidectomy and resection of tumor, intradural from within the clivus, right cavernous sinus, sella, suprasellar, and parasellar areas were done. Frameless stereotactic navigation was done using BrainLAB system. A dural patch graft was done using Durepair.Here's the operative note:"Under endoscopic visualization, the high-speed drill was used to perform a craniectomy at the base of the skull with its superior border along the dorsum sella and the inferior border along the clivus. The dura was opened with endoscopic knife and upon performing this maneuver the tumor was encountered. Using a combination of suction and curettage, the tumor was removed. A cystic component was encountered and once [...]
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in your eNewsletter
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs*
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more
*CEUs available with select eNewsletters.

Other Articles in this issue of

Neurosurgery Coding Alert

View All