Reader Questions:
64680 Is a Match to Splanchnic Block
Published on Mon Apr 04, 2011
Question: Our pain management specialist administered a neurolytic celiac plexus block and bilateral splanchnic nerve block. What CPT codes should we report?Utah SubscriberAnswer: Submit 64680 (Destruction by neurolytic agent, with or without radiologic monitoring; celiac plexus) for this service.Explanation: Code 64680's descriptor simplifies your choice for the celiac plexus block. The celiac plexus is a network of ganglia and nerves, including the greater and lesser splanchnic, which is why 64680 also applies to that injection. Code 64680 represents destruction; the injection typically "floods or bathes" the plexus. If your provider performed bilateral splanchnic blocks during the same setting, he likely administered the first as an anesthetic for the destruction. The anesthetic injection would not be separately billable, so you should report 64680 only once and without a modifier.Guidance: For fluoroscopic guidance, consider whether 77002 (Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement [e.g., biopsy, aspiration, injection, localization device]) matches your documentation. CPT Assistant [...]