tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2003 Issue 7

Reader Questions: Sigmoidoscopy Is Not Reduced Colonoscopy

Question: The surgeon performed a colonoscopy to 80 cm for tumor marking. Should I report this as 45378-52 because he did not continue past the splenic flexure?Pennsylvania Subscriber  Answer: The appropriate code is 45335 (Sigmoido-scopy, flexible; with directed submucosal injection[s], any substance). CPT defines a colonoscopy as extending beyond the splenic flexure, and in this case, the surgeon did not advance that far. If the surgeon had attempted a colonoscopy, rather than a sigmoidoscopy, you would be correct to report the appropriate colonoscopy code (for example, 45381, Colonoscopy, flexible, proximal to splenic flexure; with directed submucosal...

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


Leverage vital, to-the-point monthly guidance to boost your reporting accuracy and your coding know-how. We make it convenient for your team to stay informed, compliant, and profitable with a subscription to TCI’s General Surgery Coding Alert.

  • Current newsletters added each month
  • Fully searchable archives - over 2100 articles
  • ALL years/issues back to 1999 organized by year and issue
  • Codes mentioned in articles are linked to Code Information pages
  • Code Information pages link back to related articles
Access to this feature is available in the following products:
  • tci General Surgery Coding Alert +Archives

demo
request yours today
 subscribe
start today
 newsletter
free subscription

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