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Otolaryngology Coding Alert

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What Code is Right for This Artery Ligation?

Published on Mon Jan 12, 2009

Question: I am looking for a CPT code for -endoscopic sphenopalatine artery ligation.- I can find codes for ethmoidal and maxillary but not for sphenopalatine. Would I use the unlisted code 30999? Michigan Subscriber Answer: You-ll code 30920 (Ligation arteries;internal maxillary artery, transantral) for the ligation of the sphenopalpatine artery. The sphenopalatine artery is a terminal branch of the maxillary artery -- it carries blood to the nose. A physician will sometimes clip off this artery in a patient who has a severe, posterior nosebleed that doesn't respond to more conservative treatment, such as packing and cautery. You-ll code 784.7 (Epistaxis) to describe the nosebleed, and a payer is liable to want to see other techniques your ENT used to stop the bleeding and the patient's response to those treatments. If the patient has a defect in her ability to clot  lood, you-ll code that diagnosis, too. For instance, if [...]
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