tci Part B Insider - 2004 Issue 13

Spine Surgery: Tumor Or Bone Fragment Can Justify Billing For Vertebral Corpectomy

Lateral extracavitary arthrodesis includes many other proceduresIf your surgeon uses the lateral extracavitary approach to perform a spinal arthrodesis (22532-22534) and must perform more than a "minimal diskectomy," then you can report CPT 63101 (Thoracic) or 63102 (Lumbar) with 63103 for each additional segment. The real question is how to tell the difference between a "minimal diskectomy" and a vertebral corpectomy. The descriptors for 22532-22534 make it clear that they don't include decompression, or removing part of the vertebrae or a tumor that's pressing against spinal column. The 63101 descriptor specifies that the procedure is for "a...

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