574coding
Guru
Our provider performed a Kyphoplasty, and the cement hardened too quickly, causing the cannula to be stuck in the vertebra. So they called another surgeon in to the OR, and he was able to remove most of the cannula (but not all). He has given us code 20680 to bill for the removal of the cannula. Do you think this is the correct code, or should it be a unlisted code? What about modifiers.. He was not an assistant surgeon?.he just did the removal of the cannula. We can?t use the 62 modifier on any of the codes for kyphoplasty or removal hardware according to CCI edits. But we need to bill for the provider that did the removal of the cannula. I also don?t know what diagnosis to use, because normally that code 20680, would be to remove retained hardware or foreign body?..but this was retained during the procedure, not a ?late effect?, so the 996.49 DX code doesn?t seem to apply, does it?