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CPT® Code 38572 Laparascopic bilateral total pelvic lymphadenectomy and peri-aortic lymph node sampling
When reporting CPT® code 38572 do all of the pelvic lymph nodes have to be removed? The procedure performed is described as "Laparoscopic pelvic and peri-aortic lymph node sampling".
Op Note:
We then removed the lymph nodes, starting from the circumflex vein over the external iliac artery, up to the common, down the hypogastric, and the internal iliac nodes were removed from the left side. I then entered the retroperitoneum on the periaortic area, identified the right ureter, the right common iliac artery, and the lower aorta. Removed the lymph nodes over the inferior vena cava. These were removed by the accessory assistand port. We then entered the retroperitoneum on the right side and identified the external iliac artery, the ureter, the internal iliac artery. Identified the uterine artery at the side wall and bipolar-ed it and then removed the lymph nodes starting from the circumflex vein, over the external iliac artery, up to the common, down the hypogastric, and the internal iliac artery lymph nodes were removed.
The pathology report shows that 2 peri-aortic lymph nodes, 1 right pelvic lymph node, and 2 left pelvic nodes were submitted for evaluation.
I was told to use CPT® code 38572 for this procedure.