Respiratory System (January 2002)

January 2002 page 10c Coding Consultation Respiratory System, Surgery, 31622, 31624 (Q&A) Question My physician performed a flexible bronchoscopy with bilateral bronchial alveolar lavage (code 31624 ). Should modifier -50, Bilateral procedure, be appended to code 31624 , or is 31624 an inherently bilateral procedure code? AMA Comment From a coding perspective, the series of codes 31623 - 31656 describe unilateral procedures. To indicate that a procedure from this series was performed bilaterally, modifier -50, Bilateral procedure, should be appended to the appropriate code. Therefore, modifier -50 should be appended to code 31624 when bronchial alveolar lavage is performed...

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Note:  The following article synopsis was NOT provided by the AMA. It was created by Find-A-Code/innoviHealth.

Article Overview

This article presents a coding consultation from CPT Assistant focused on respiratory system surgery and bilateral reporting considerations for bronchoscopy-related procedures. It is useful for coders, billers, and compliance staff who need to understand the scope of the guidance and the code sets discussed without relying on the full premium text.

Why This Topic Matters

The article highlights how a specific type of procedural question is handled in CPT coding and clarifies that the guidance applies differently across closely related respiratory procedure codes. It matters to professionals reviewing operative documentation, coding accuracy, and modifier use in respiratory surgery cases.

Article Sections

  1. Coding Consultation

    A question-and-answer discussion about respiratory system surgery coding and bilateral procedure reporting. The section centers on CPT Assistant guidance for bronchoscopy-related procedures.

What You Will Learn

  • The general topic of bilateral reporting in respiratory system surgery coding
  • How a CPT Assistant Q&A is structured around a coding consultation
  • Which respiratory procedure coding issues are addressed in the article
  • The kinds of guidance the article provides for coders and billers

Who Should Read This

  • Medical coders
  • Coding auditors
  • Billing specialists
  • Compliance staff
  • Physician documentation staff

Codes Discussed

Code Ranges Discussed

Modifiers Discussed


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