Wiki Retained surgical instrument?

[AR2728]

During performance of Tubal ligation, physician relaizes that a surgical sponge became loose from sponge stick and was lost in abdominal cavity. He then performed a lap to retrive the sponge. Is this a separately billable procedure? The reason I question is because if the physician causes an injury/laceration during a procedure, the repair is not separately billable, as they directly caused the injury. Would a sponge gone missing be considered the same?

 

[ASC CODER]

that is correct it is not seperatly billable. the Surgeon created the problem during the procedure.

 

[AR2728]

Thanks so much