Forum - Questions & Answers

Apr 11th, 2009 - akopian 28 

laparoscopic meckel's diverticulectomy and appendectomy

I was asked by the ER physician to see a patient in the ER with right lower quadrant abdominal pain, elevated WBC, and an ultrasound finding of acute appendicitis. After performing my H&P in the ER, I took the patient to the OR for a laparoscopic appendectomy. At surgery the appendix was normal, and I incidentally found what appeared to be a non-inflamed Meckel's diverticulum. I performed the laparoscopic appendectomy and a laparoscopic Meckel's diverticulectomy. I've coded this scenario as 99222-57, 44970, 44800. Can I use 44800 even though I performed the diverticulectomy laparoscopically? The description for the code doesn't say laparoscopic or open. Can I code 44970 and 44800 together (no CCI exclusion) even though both were normal in appearance?



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