ZHealth Coding Newsletter - March 2016
March 2016 Q & A
Question: Angioplasty or Primary Thrombectomy with No Stenosis Documented
Patient is on Day 2 of lower extremity arterial thrombolysis with EKOS catheter. The patient was placed on the angio table and the catheter was injected showing significant residual heavy clot burden. The physician ballooned the thrombus in the anterior tibial, posterior tibial and peroneal arteries with a 3mm balloon, then used an aspiration catheter in each vessel post ballooning due to loose clot seen within these vessels. There is no physician documentation of any underlying anatomical stenosis in these vessels. Thrombolysis was restarted with the EKOS catheter and sent to the floor for overnight monitoring. On Day 3, the patient is brought back for AngioJet thrombectomy, repeat ballooning of the peroneal along with thrombolytic spray through the AngioJet for 20 min. This is repeated in the posterior tibial artery. Follow-up angiography demonstrates a flow limiting dissection requiring stent placement.
Day 2 was coded as ...
Day 2 was coded as ...
