AMA CPT® Assistant - 1997 Issue 8 (August)

Digestive System, 42225, 42820 (Q&A) (August 1997)

August 1997 page 18b Coding Consultation Digestive System, 42225, 42820 (Q&A) Question At the same surgical session, my physician performed a palato-pharyngoplasty and a tonsillectomy. Can both of these services be reported, or is the tonsillectomy part of the palatopharyngoplasty? AMA Comment From a CPT coding perspective, the tonsillectomy is a separate and distinct procedure. Therefore, if the physician performs a palato-pharyngoplasty and a tonsillectomy, both services would be reported. In this instance, the modifier -51 should be appended to the secondary or additional procedure to indicate that multiple procedures were performed on the same day or at...

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