A physician performed a mediastinotomy on a 54-year-old female via cervical approach. Once access was gained, the physician removed the foreign body from a shrapnel injury ten years prior and biopsied a suspicious polyp near the foreign body site. What is the correct code for this mediastinotomy?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct code for the mediastinotomy is 39000 (Mediastinotomy with Exploration, Drainage, Removal of Foreign Body, or Biopsy; Cervical Approach). There are only two mediastinotomy codes, 39000 and 39010. Code 39010 is for a mediastinotomy via transthoracic approach, not a cervical approach.

A Physician Performed a Mediastinotomy on a 54-Year-Old Female Via