tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2002 Issue 7

Reader Question: Insertion of Vascular Catheter

Question: How would the following vascular catheters be coded: ASH, Tessio, double lumen and triple lumen? Indiana SubscriberAnswer: There are several brands of vascular catheters, such as Port-A-Cath, Hickman and Tessio, to name a few. Physicians may use different catheters for different procedures and then use the catheter's brand name as a kind of shorthand to describe the procedure in which the catheter was used. For coding and reimbursement, the catheter's brand name is irrelevant. What matters is the procedure that was performed and documented. Unfortunately, the coder may be unfamiliar with the surgeon's shorthand and may be unsure...

To read the full article, sign in and subscribe to tci General Surgery Coding Alert.

Thank you for choosing Find-A-Code, please Sign In to remove ads.