Wiki Microscopic Surgery

[cyrucats]

I have a question regarding the use of the microscope during a surgery. The operation was as follows:
1. Microsurgical repair of a completely transected ulner digital artery of the left ring finger.
2. Microsurgical exploration of the ulnar and radial digital nerve of the left ring finger and the radial digital artery.
3. Repair of deep laceration of the volar aspect of the base of the left ring finger.
4. Microneurosurgical neuroplasty of the radial and ulner digital nerves.

My question is, is it appropriate to use the code 69990 more than once in a surgery such as this? I cannot find anything to validate this. Does anyone have experience with this?

Thanks for any and all help.

Cyndi

 

[scronin]

It would be considered double billing to report the code 69990 more than once on a claim. The lay description states: The physician uses a surgical microscope when the services are performed using the techniques of microsurgery, except when the microscopy is part of the procedure (such as in 15756). This code is reported in addition to the primary procedure.

Since this code covers the plural services and does not list (each) in the code verbiage it would be inappropriate to report this code more than once.

Hope this helps.