Reader Questions:
Avoid Reporting +51797 Alone
Published on Sat Jan 16, 2010
Question: The physician performs an intra-abdominal pressure study for a patient who is catheterized and isn't voiding during the study. Can I still use 51797? South Dakota Subscriber Answer: Code +51797 (Voiding pressure studies, intra-abdominal [i.e, rectal, gastric, intraperitoneal] [List separately in addition to code for primary procedure]) is an add-on code. That means that you could report +51797 coupled only with a "primary" CPT code. Therefore, you can never report +51797 alone. Last year the "primary" code required when also billing +51797 was 51795 (Voiding pressure studies; bladder voiding pressure, any technique). CPT 2010 eliminated 51795. Now the primary codes (required to also bill +51797) are 51728 (Complex cystometrogram (i.e., calibrated electronic equipment); voiding pressure studies [i.e., bladder voiding pressure], any technique) or 51729 (... with voiding pressure studies [i.e., bladder voiding pressure] and urethral pressure profile studies [i.e., urethral closure pressure profile], any technique) -- both of which include [...]
