Wiki FFR Question

[brandyleigh23]

I'm still new to Cardiology, does anyone know the answer to this question...

I have a patient that had a heart cath along with an FFR and the doc documented it as 2 vessels. The LC and the ramus intermedius. The nurse has coded the 93571 and 93572. I understand the additional vessel, but is the ramus intermedius indeed a separate vessel??? If so, what is the modifier for this, RI??

Thank you so much to whoever can help me

 

[theresa.dix@tennova.com]

I'm still new to Cardiology, does anyone know the answer to this question...

I have a patient that had a heart cath along with an FFR and the doc documented it as 2 vessels. The LC and the ramus intermedius. The nurse has coded the 93571 and 93572. I understand the additional vessel, but is the ramus intermedius indeed a separate vessel??? If so, what is the modifier for this, RI??

Thank you so much to whoever can help me

Yes the ramus is an additional separate vessel. The LM usually branches off into two vessels, the LD and the LC. In this case there are three vessels, the third being the Ramus Intermedius. There is not a modifier for the Ramus. I do not use any modifiers on these vessels for a pressure wire codes ( 93571 or 72) But if you were coding stents in these separate vessels in this case I would use LD modifier. You choose either LD or LC for the ramus and since the LC is already used, you would have needed to add LD instead.

 

[brandyleigh23]

Thank you so much for your response Cardiology is like another language and I'm still learning!