tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2022 Issue Q1

You Be the Coder: Clarify ‘Pleural Drainage’ Procedure

Question: We have an op note in which the surgeon drained pleural fluid and performed a needle pleural biopsy in the same session. Should we code the drainage service as 32554, and can we add a biopsy code? Texas Subscriber Answer: Without the details from the op note, it’s difficult to know how to code the drainage. If the surgeon uses a needle or catheter to remove some fluid from the pleural space, typically for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes, the appropriate code would be 32554 (Thoracentesis, needle or catheter, aspiration of the pleural space; without imaging guidance). On...

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