tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2009 Issue 14

Reader Question: Don't Blow Up Inflation Fee

Question: My surgeon's op note says that he used a Veress needle to create a pneumoperitoneum. Then he performed laparoscopic enterolysis for restrictive intestinal adhesions. Can I code both the pneumoperitoneum procedure and the enterolysis? Texas Subscriber Answer: You should report the surgeon's work in this case as 44180 (Laparoscopy, surgical, enterolysis [freeing of intestinal adhesion] [separate procedure]). You should not bill any other services, including the surgeon's induction of pneumoperitoneum. Here's why: Although CPT provides a code to describe the introduction of air into the abdominal cavity (49400, Injection of air or contrast into peritoneal cavity [separate procedure])...

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