While it is always great if a surgeon specifically documents whether instrumentation is placed from an anterior or posterior approach, more often than not, we get clues in the operative report that require us to abstract this detail. On the other hand, CPT codes 22845-22847 are for an anterior approach.
#Cpt code soft tissue of posterior neck code#
CPT codes 22840-2288 are all intended to report posterior approaches to placing spinal instrumentation based on their code descriptions or the anatomy where instrumentation is placed. Third, you need to determine the surgical approach for insertion of instrumentation – anterior or posterior. CPT 22842 is for posterior instrumentation of 3 to 6 segments while CPT 22846 is for anterior instrumentation of 4 to 7 segments just to give a couple examples. As we begin to look at some of the CPT code descriptions for spinal instrumentation, we see why accurately counting the total number of segments is important. For example, screws and rods from L1-元 = 3 segments. CPT defines a vertebral segment as “a single complete vertebral bone with its associated articular processes and laminae.” So when determining the total number of vertebral segments for instrumentation, we are counting bones. Second, you need to know the total number of vertebral segments for the instrumentation procedure. Getting your primary procedure coded correctly is step number one.
#Cpt code soft tissue of posterior neck manual#
The CPT manual or your electronic coding software will contain a complete list of valid primary CPT codes with which you can report insertion of spinal instrumentation. This means that you can never report one of these codes by itself. As you begin reviewing the code descriptions for CPT codes 22840-22848, you will notice that you need to gather a few details before you can select your instrumentation code.įirst, all of these codes are add on codes that include the language list separately in addition to primary procedure in their code descriptors. When it comes to coding insertion of spinal instrumentation, there is no shortage of code choices available in CPT.