CPT® codes for reporting VATS procedures are found in the 32601-32609 series for diagnostic procedures, and 32650-32674 for surgical procedures. New codes were introduced this year for both diagnostic and surgical VATS procedures.
VATS decortication and/or evacuation of hemothorax can be performed through 2 or 3 ports. The working port should be placed over the 5th intercostal space between the mid and anterior axillary lines. ( Figure 2a) The intercostal incision should allow 3 fingers.
Long curettes for use in VATS decortication. Figure 4b: Open curved ring forceps. Figure 4a. Curved ring forceps closed (left panel) and open (right panel). Use a sucker / finger / tonsil sponge stick to “blindly” create a working space in the pleural cavity.
The inability to tolerate single lung ventilation and the presence of a fibrothorax are contraindications to performing thoracoscopic decortication. Patients who develop empyema following esophageal perforation should not be managed thoracoscopically but by thoracotomy.
Thoracoscopic decortication extends the versatility of the thoracic surgeon in his dealing with pleural space infections and can be used for diagnosis and treatment of the same with excellent outcomes.
Prior thoracotomy, prior talc pleurodesis, and previous empyema are relative contraindication to thoracoscopy. The inability to tolerate single lung ventilation and the presence of a fibrothorax are contraindications to performing thoracoscopic decortication. Patients who develop empyema following esophageal perforation should not be managed thoracoscopically but by thoracotomy.
Thoracoscopic decortication is now proven in the management of empyema and the time elapsed since the origin of the empyema and the surgical intervention is probably most predictive of the ability to perform the operation successful ly [3, 7]. CT scan is not useful in this respect but helps with port placement and the direction of the decortication within the chest [4]. The principles of open decortication should be followed while utilizing thoracoscopic technology. All areas of fibrinous material must be drained and the underlying lung freed from a restricting pleural peel to allow for complete re expansion. Success rates are high and chest tube duration, hospital length of stay, postoperative pain, and recovery are improved over thoracotomy. Mortality rates are low as are recurrent rates and complications [2-4, 7-9]. Conversions to open thoracotomy are more frequent than after other thoracoscopic procedures, but this should be considered an exercise of sound surgical judgment rather than a failure of the technique.
The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM Z48.813 became effective on October 1, 2021.
Categories Z00-Z99 are provided for occasions when circumstances other than a disease, injury or external cause classifiable to categories A00 -Y89 are recorded as 'diagnoses' or 'problems'. This can arise in two main ways: