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Open Simple Retropubic Prostatectomy 55831?

Any help with this would be much appreciated. I’ve been searching and everything comes up to laparoscopic. Would it be the 55831?

SIMPLE RETROPUBIC PROSTATECTOMY (for BPH,urinary retention)

After the induction of adequate General anesthesia, the patient was laid supine on the table, the genitalia and lower abdomen were prepped and draped in the usual fashion. 18 French Foley catheter was used to drain the bladder to empty and then removed. Low midline incision was made from the pubic symphysis to just below the umbilicus. Incision was carried down to the rectus fascia using electrocautery. Rectus fascia was sharply opened using electrocautery and midline placement was confirmed and the incision wasn’t opened up for the entirety of the rectus fascia. Blunt dissection was used to separate the peritoneum from the retroperitoneum and expose the pre-pubic space of Retzius. The Balfour retractor was then positioned into place with 2 narrow blades retracting the bladder and peritoneal contents cranially.

Stadium figure-of-8 sutures of 2-0 Vicryl were then placed in two rows over the anterior surface of the prostatic capsule. The 2 midline sutures were tagged with a snap. Approximately 15-20 sutures were used to complete the 2 rows of Stadium sutures. The lateral borders of the 2 rows of sutures were also tagged with figure-of-eight 2-0 Vicryl suture oriented vertically to prevent tearing of the prostatic capsule. Electrocautery was then used to open the prostatic capsule between the 2 rows of suture. The incision was carried down to the adenoma layer which was noted to be smooth and shiny versus the fibrous muscular capsule layer. Once the adenoma was reached then finger dissection was used to shell out the adenoma on either side away from the capsular layer. There was noted to be significantly sized median lobe which was also shelled out intact in continuity with the rest of the adenoma. At the apex of the adenoma the urethra was pinched transected. The adenoma was then passed off the table as specimen. There was minimal bleeding at this point. The posterior lip of bladder neck was then sutured down to the posterior prostatic fossa thereby creating a waterfall configuration for the bladder neck to open into the urethra. Ureteral orifices were well away from the bladder neck here. 22 French 3 Foley catheter was then passed into the bladder but not inflated at this point. The capsular incision was then closed with 2 separate 0 Vicryl sutures starting at the lateral aspect of the capsulotomy towards the midline. 2 sutures were then tied to each other at the midline over the incision. Catheter was reviewed and those found to be no leak. 40 mL of sterile water were placed into the balloon. A flat Jackson-Pratt drain was in place and the pre-vesicle space and brought out through separate stab incision left lower quadrant. This was connected to bulb suction. Rectus fascia was closed with a #1-0 PDS suture. Subcutaneous tissues were then infiltrated with 10 mL of half percent Marcaine plain. Skin was then closed with clips. Incision was clean and dried and dressed with a dry sterile dressing. Patient was awakened from anesthesia extubated uneventfully and transferred to PACU in stable condition having tolerated procedure well. No complications.

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Laparoscopy with evacuation of peritoneal clot after prostatectomy

Any help with coding the following would be greatly appreciated. We were thinking that 49329 was the correct code but was not sure what to benchmark it to.

preoperative diagnosis: Postoperative intraperitoneal bleed after prostatectomy
Postoperative diagnosis: Same as preoperative
Procedure performed: Laparoscopy with evacuation of intraperitoneal clot (700 mL)
Ligation of bleeding incisional blood vessel and reclosure of midline extraction site.

He was brought to the operating suite and given a general anesthesia and IV Ancef. He was prepped and draped in sterile fashion in a supine position.
His Foley catheter was left in place and his urine was a light pink in color. I then removed the Dermabond and cut the sutures at his port sites in the right uppermost assistant port as well as the right mid port and left mid port. 12 mm ports were placed in each of these and the 10 mm camera with 0Deg lens was used to visualize the peritoneum. A total of 700 mL of clot was evacuated throughout the procedure.
On visualization of the anastomosis there was some old small clot adherent to this but it did not look to be the source of the bleeding. There was some old blood in the right lower pelvis more so than the left lower pelvis. On inspection of the abdominal wall there was a consistent steady dripping of blood from the midline incision port site. It was not heavy but rather a dripping but it was constant. This was thought to be the source of the bleeding.
We then opened the umbilical incision site and oversewed the fascia muscle and peritoneal lining with a #1 looped PDS suture and took wider bites on the fascia and tissue. After completely closing it we then looked back through the ports and there was no further bleeding from the site either from the abdominal side externally or the internal side. The rest of the port sites were visualized as each port site was extracted and there was no bleeding from night these either. The blood appeared to have stopped.
He was kept in Trendelenburg position throughout the procedure in order to help move the bowel away from the pelvis. I did put some Surgifoam and Surgical down in the pelvis. there is no further blood welling up and the surgical sites were all closed using 4-0 Monocryl subcuticular suture and Dermabond was placed on the skin. I did leave a #10 flat Jackson-Pratt drain coming out the left lower quadrant and sutured the skin with a 2-0 silk.

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Robotic Simple Prostatectomy

My question is regarding a Robotic SIMPLE Prostatectomy. There is only one robotic CPT code for a prostatectomy in the CPT book and that code reads:

55866- Laparoscopy, surgical prostatectomy, retropubic radical, including nerve sparing, includes robotic assistance when preformed.

Since a simple prostatectomy does not include everything listed in the description of CPT code 55866, I have been adding a 52 modifier for reduced services. Is this correct or should I be billing something different? My docs are worried we are missing out on money by adding a 52 modifier.

Any input will be greatly appreciated!

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

aborted prostatectomy

Hello …..i have this patient who is here for radical prostatectomy (had a prostate cancer) ….. the surgeon did laparotomy …. then the prostate was attached to the rectum and inseparable from it.there was a right inguinal hernia , it was repaired …….the operation aborted due to inability to separate prostate from rectum.

I have three choices here for the code:
1. Radical prostatectomy with modifier 52
2. Radical prostatectomy with modifier 53
3. Exploratory laparotomy.

How do you think I should code this case?

I really do appreciate your help

Linda Barbar

Medical Billing and Coding