Answer: Some practices have reported denials when submitting the appropriate diagnosis for complications from silicone oil. Submit ICD-10 code H33.8 Other retinal detachments as primary and T85.398A as secondary.
Question: Is there a diagnosis code for secondary glaucoma from silicone oil? Answer: Use ICD-10 code H40.5- Secondary glaucoma due to other eye disorders. Remember the dash (-) indicates there are more codes in the family from which to choose.
This is a "complication" type code. Appropriate ICD 10 code for silicon oil removal would be Z48.810 since its a part of aftercare of eye surgery. If due to silicon oil any complication occurs and there is need to remove that silicon oil then in that case T85.398 series code should be coded.
Silicone oil is used in cases of a chronic retinal detachment, proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR; scarring), advanced cases of diabetic retinopathy, macular holes, and other disease processes that require long-term tamponade of the retina following vitrectomy.
Purpose : Silicone oil is often used as a retinal tamponade after complex retinal detachment repair. Due to long term complications from silicone oil including glaucoma, corneal decompensation, and vitreoretinopathy, it often must be removed from the eye. The optimal time for removal of silicone oil is debated.
The removal of the silicone oil (CPT 67121) is the proper choice, not the delivery of the focal endolaser (CPT 67039), the higher paying procedure, since the codes are bundled.
The silicone oil is removed by infusing the eye with fluid while draining the oil through a small port. The eye is then filled up with air, and then with fluid several times to remove the maximum amount of silicone oil. The surgeon then carefully evaluates the eye to confirm there are no retinal tears.
Emulsification, in theory, occurs for several reasons: alterations in surface tension, repulsion, and changes in viscosity. Silicone oil emulsification may be further influenced by the duration of silicone oil in the eye and the presence of shear forces or turbulence.
The process of removing silicone oil following a complex retinal detachment typically occurs one of two ways: via vitrectomy; or aspiration without a vitrectomy.
CPT® Code 65800 in section: Paracentesis of anterior chamber of eye (separate procedure) HCPCS.
Silicone oil is being used with increased frequency for retinal tamponade during vitreous surgery for complicated retinal detachments. Though it is now possible to reattach most detached retinas, the visual outcome of the silicone oil procedure is often disappointing.
Results: In 82.2% of the cases, proliferative vitreoretinopathy was responsible for recurrent retinal detachment in silicone oil-filled eyes. Reoperations without removal of the silicone oil were performed in 65.3% of the cases. Anatomical success occurred in 62.7% of the eyes, and functional success occurred in 52.5%.
Silicone oils as tamponading agents were used to provide anatomical reattachment of the retina in cases of rhegmatogenous RDs, giant retinal tears, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, proliferative diabetic retinopathy and ocular trauma [1, 2].
Although silicone oil is chemically inert and may remain in the eye for extended periods of time, its use is generally intended to be temporary, as complications may develop with prolonged intraocular duration.
Clinicians have described leakage of oil through the scleral entry ports5, 6 and the presence of post-operative ocular hypertension as pertinent factors leading to this complication. We recommend long-term follow-up of patients with intraocular silicone oil in view of this potential serious complication.
Silicone oil has a higher refractive index (1.405) as compared to the vitreous (1.336). 1 When injected into the vitreous cavity it pro duces marked changes in the refraction of the eye. Removal of the silicone in cases of pro liferative vitreoretinopathy can result in the recurrence of the retinal detachment.
The ICD-10-CM Alphabetical Index links the below-listed medical terms to the ICD code H02.813. Click on any term below to browse the alphabetical index.
This is the official approximate match mapping between ICD9 and ICD10, as provided by the General Equivalency mapping crosswalk. This means that while there is no exact mapping between this ICD10 code H02.813 and a single ICD9 code, 374.86 is an approximate match for comparison and conversion purposes.
Whenever silicone oil has migrated to the anterior chamber and is removed via that route, an anterior segment code for removal of implanted material (65920) is used rather than code 67121.
From the Operative Notes: “The prominent conjunctival inclusion cysts nasal and infranasal were dissected. They were filled with silicone oil , which was removed and the wall of the cyst was excised. Smaller cysts inferiorly were also excised. They also contained silicone oil. The conjunctiva was opened in small limbal peritomies inferotemporally, supratemporally and supranasally. Sclerotomy sites were fashioned 3 mm posterior to the limbus at the 8:00, 10:00 and 2:00 positions. Infusion port was secured inferotemporally with 5-0 Mersilene. Direct inspection through the pupil showed the tip to be unobstructed. Silicone oil was removed. It appeared to be 5000 centistoke oil. Several air-fluid exchanges were performed to facilitate further removal of the oil, although the crystal lens which is made of silicone did bind to some of the silicone oil. Triescence was placed over the macula and pick and forceps was used to elevate a sheet of epiretinal membrane off the macula.”
From the Operative Notes*: “25-gauge vitrectomy ports were placed 4mm posterior to the limbus; inferotemporal, superotemporal, and superonasal. The silicone oil was passively and then actively aspirated from the left eye. Air-fluid exchange was performed multiple times to remove any remaining bubbles…”
A: When an ERM peel is performed to correct macular pucker, the proper coding is 67041; if the ILM is also peeled, 67042 is not additive to the procedure—in fact, the two codes are bundled. Thus, it is the purpose of the surgery, combined with which procedure was medically necessary in fulfilling that purpose, that determines the code selection. When coding more complicated cases in which both procedures were performed, it is important to check the Medicare payments each year and choose the higher paying one.
History: Retained lens fragments were in the pupil and anterior chamber of the left eye and blocked any view of the posterior pole. Retained lens fragments were also present in the posterior vitreous.
It seems more logical to choose 66852 due to the words “pars plana” in the description. However, for Medicare, the claim will not be paid because, under the NCCI, 66852 is bundled with all vitrectomy and retinal detachment repair codes.
If the eye has already been vitrectomized, CPT code 67121 may be a better choice than 67036. Focal endolaser is a higher paying code; however, prophylactic laser was not the purpose of the surgery and thus is not the reason the surgery was undertaken. Focal endolaser photocoagulation is bundled with 67121 and 67036.