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Orthopedic Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Epidural Steroid Injection

Published on Sun Dec 01, 2002

Question: What is the appropriate code for an L2-3 intralaminar epidural steroid injection? Idaho Subscriber   Answer: This type of injection is also known as a translaminar epidural injection and should be billed as 62311 (Injection, single [not via indwelling catheter], not including neurolytic substances, with or without contrast [for either localization or epidurography], of diagnostic or therapeutic substance[s] [including anesthetic, antispasmodic, opioid, steroid, other solution], epidural or subarachnoid; lumbar, sacral [caudal]). According to CPT Assistant, the type of substance injected (e.g., narcotic, anesthetic, steroid, antispasmodic) does not dictate the code choice, and 62311 differentiates itself from other injections by focusing "on the route of administration (i.e., single injection [not via indwelling catheter] versus continuous infusion or intermittent bolus via catheter)."
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