Reader Question:
Dont Avoid Coding Voiding Trials
Published on Tue Apr 01, 2003
Question: How should I code a "voiding trial"? UCA Subscriber Answer: You won't find a CPT Code specific to the elements of a voiding trial, so you have to choose a code that most closely represents the service provided. Choose from the following codes depending on the documentation provided by your urologist:
51700* (Bladder irrigation, simple, lavage and/or instillation) to represent the filling of the bladder prior to voiding
51701 (Insertion of non-indwelling bladder catheter [e.g., straight catheterization for residual urine]) to represent the drainage of the saline
51736 (Simple uroflowmetry [UFR] [e.g., stopwatch flow rate, mechanical uroflowmeter]) to represent the use of a simple flowmeter
51741 (Complex uroflowmetry [e.g., calibrated electronic equipment]) to represent the use of a complex flowmeter You may find that an E/M code is more appropriate depending on the components of the voiding trial your urologist performs.
