Advanced Search

Pulmonology Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Capture Simple Chest Tube Removals as Part of E/M or Other Services Provided

Published on Sun Nov 25, 2012

Question: Our pulmonologist recently performed a chest tube insertion for pneumothorax? How should I report this procedure that our pulmonologist performed? Also, please let me know what is the code that I need to report when our pulmonologist performs a removal of the tube that has been placed?   Atlanta Subscriber Answer: The answer depends on the type of chest tube insertion that your pulmonologist performed. If your pulmonologist performs a tube thoracostomy by inserting a hollow chest tube through an incision in the chest wall, you will report it with 32551 (Tube thoracostomy, includes water seal [e.g., for abscess, hemothorax, empyema], when performed [separate procedure]). But, instead if your pulmonologist performs a chest tube insertion with the placement of an indwelling catheter through a thoracostomy using a tunneled procedure (typical for management of malignant pleural effusions), you can report the procedure performed by your pulmonologist to treat pneumothorax using 32550 ( Insertion of indwelling tunneled pleural catheter with cuff). When your pulmonologist removes the chest tube placed using a tunneled procedure, you will have to report it with 32552 (Removal of indwelling tunneled pleural catheter with cuff). If your pulmonologist is removing a tunneled chest tube and placing another one, you will have to report both 32552 and 32550. When a simple chest tube is placed for hemothorax patients (32251), you cannot report the removal of this type of chest tube. In such a case, the tube removal will just be a part of any other service or E/M performed on that day.  

Other Articles in this issue of

Pulmonology Coding Alert

View All