A 60-year-old patient was scheduled for a bilateral laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. During the procedure

A 60-year-old patient was scheduled for a bilateral laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. During the procedure, the hernia defect on the right side was repaired laparoscopically; however, the inguinal hernia defect on the left side had to be repaired via an open approach because laparoscopic visualization was inadequate. Because the surgeon performed both a laparoscopic and open repair, would it be appropriate to report the entire procedure as a bilateral open repair?

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CPT Knowledgebase - Dec 4, 2025