Spinal fusion is typically an effective treatment for fractures, deformities or instability in the spine. But study results are more mixed when the cause of the back or neck pain is unclear. In many cases, spinal fusion is no more effective than nonsurgical treatments for nonspecific back pain.
Treatment
“She was having back pain from the joint being very loose and the leg pain from the nerves being pinched.” Harrison described the lumbar fusion method he used to finally relieve Christopherson’s pain using a model of the spinal column.
Spinal fusion, also called spondylodesis or spondylosyndesis, is a neurosurgical or orthopedic surgical technique that joins two or more vertebrae. This procedure can be performed at any level in the spine (cervical, thoracic, or lumbar) and prevents any movement between the fused vertebrae.
Fusion of spine, site unspecified M43. 20 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM M43. 20 became effective on October 1, 2021.
Fusion of spine, lumbar region The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM M43. 26 became effective on October 1, 2021.
Lumbar Fusion is Easier and Safer than Ever Before Spinal fusion is performed to join (fuse) one or more vertebrae to stabilize the spine and reduce pain. Fusion often involves the use of instrumentation (i.e. screws, rods, interbody devices) and bone graft.
Code 22630 describes a posterior lumbar interbody arthrodesis, also known as fusion. Code 22633 describes a posterior lumbar interbody fusion and a posterolateral fusion performed at the same interspace and segment (also called spinal level, such as L4-L5).
Fusion of Lumbar Vertebral Joint with Interbody Fusion Device, Anterior Approach, Anterior Column, Open Approach. ICD-10-PCS 0SG00A0 is a specific/billable code that can be used to indicate a procedure.
Laminectomy (removal of lamina bone) and diskectomy (removing damaged disk tissue) are both types of spinal decompression surgery. Your provider may perform a diskectomy or other techniques (such as joining two vertebrae, called spinal fusion) during a laminectomy procedure.
Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure to join 2 or more bones of your spine together permanently. A minimally invasive spinal fusion uses a smaller cut (incision) than a traditional spinal fusion surgery. Your vertebrae are the small bones that make up your spinal column.
Anterior/posterior spinal fusion - the procedure is done from the front and the back. Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) - Similar to the PLIF, this procedure is also done from the back of the spine. Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion (XLIF) - an interbody fusion in which the approach is from the side.
Two vertebrae need to be fused to stop the motion at one segment. For example, an L4-L5 fusion is a one-level spinal fusion. A two-level fusion joins three vertebrae together and so on.
The physician is therefore performing an anterior fusion through an anterolateral approach. For this reason, NASS recommended the use of the anterior arthrodesis CPT code 22558, as well as the applicable instrumentation code(s) to describe the procedure.
Posterolateral lumbar fusion is a surgical technique that involves correction of spinal problems from the back of the spine by placing bone graft between segments in the back and leaving the disc space intact. Minimally invasive surgical techniques may be used to perform the procedure.
In addition, 63030 is a unilateral code, and should be reported for the first occurrence of disc herniation, CPT explains. By contrast, Code 63047 is used to report procedures performed for lateral recess stenosis, for example, caused by either ligamentum flavum hypertrophy or facet arthropathy.
M43.26 is a valid billable ICD-10 diagnosis code for Fusion of spine, lumbar region . It is found in the 2021 version of the ICD-10 Clinical Modification (CM) and can be used in all HIPAA-covered transactions from Oct 01, 2020 - Sep 30, 2021 .
DO NOT include the decimal point when electronically filing claims as it may be rejected. Some clearinghouses may remove it for you but to avoid having a rejected claim due to an invalid ICD-10 code, do not include the decimal point when submitting claims electronically. See also:
Body Part: The body part character reflects the level of the vertebrae (cervical, thoracic, lumbar and/or sacral) and the number of vertebral joints fused. The intervertebral joint is the space that is located between any two adjacent vertebrae. One factor in determining the number of fusion codes to assign is how many levels were fused.
Coding professionals must be able to distinguish between what procedures are integral to a spinal fusion and are not assigned additional codes, versus those not considered to be integral and are assigned separate codes. The following are examples of how to make that distinction.
This is because the fusion includes two regions within the vertebrae (lumbar and lumbosacral). As above, this is only two vertebral joints being fused together but of two different regions (lumbar and lumbosacral).
Level (s) of the spinal column and number being fused: As you can see in the picture below, the human vertebral column consists of 33 vertebrae divided into five regions: When reviewing the operative note, look for what level (s) are being fused together. A level involves two vertebrae and the space between them (interspace) containing the disc.
When the surgeon documents that a fusion consisted of only two vertebrae and they are of the same level (such as lumbar) then this is counted as only one level. However, in the same procedure if the surgeon also performs a fusion of another level (such as sacrum), this part of the fusion would also need to be reported.