AAPC CPC Exam - Topic 2 Question 41 Discussion

Actual exam question for AAPC's CPC exam

Question #: 41
Topic #: 2

[All CPC Questions]

View MR 006399

MR 006399

Operative Report

Preoperative Diagnosis: Chronic otitis media in the right ear

Postoperative Diagnosis: Chronic otitis media in the right ear

Procedure: Eustachian tube inflation

Anesthesia: General

Blood Loss: Minimal

Findings: Serous mucoid fluid

Complications: None

Indications: The patient is a 2-year-old who presented to the office with chronic otitis media refractory to medical management. The treatment will be eustachian tube inflation to remove the fluid. Risks, benefits, and alternatives were reviewed with the family, which include general anesthetic, bleeding, infection, tympanic membrane perforation, routine tubes, and need for additional surgery. The family understood these risks and signed the appropriate consent form.

Procedure in Detail: After the patient was properly identified, he was brought into the operating room and placed supine. The patient was prepped and draped in the usual fashion. General anesthesia was administered via inhalation mask, and after adequate sedation was achieved, a medium-sized speculum was placed in the right ear and cerumen was removed atraumatically using instrument with operative microscope. The tube is dilated, an incision is made to the tympanum and thick mucoid fluid was suctioned. The patient was awakened after having tolerated the procedure well and taken to the recovery room in stable condition.

What CPT coding is reported for this case?

A69420-RT

B69436-RT

C69433-RT

D69421-RT

Show Suggested Answer

Suggested Answer: B

The procedure involves a right nephrectomy with partial ureterectomy for a nonfunctioning right kidney with ureteral stricture.

Procedure Description:

Right nephrectomy (removal of the kidney).

Partial ureterectomy (removal of part of the ureter).

CPT Coding:

50220: Nephrectomy, including partial ureterectomy, any open approach.

AMA's CPT Professional Edition (current year).

CPT Assistant for detailed coding guidelines on nephrectomy procedures.

by Nathalie at Jan 11, 2025, 09:39 PM

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Trinidad

3 months ago

Minimal blood loss is a good sign, glad there were no complications!

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Sharen

3 months ago

I disagree, I believe 69436-RT fits better here.

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Myrtie

3 months ago

Wait, they used general anesthesia for a 2-year-old? That's surprising!

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Delila

4 months ago

I think it's definitely 69420-RT for this procedure.

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Curtis

4 months ago

Eustachian tube inflation is common for kids with chronic otitis media.

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Antonio

4 months ago

I feel like 69433-RT could be the answer, but I need to double-check the details about the fluid suctioning part.

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Dannette

4 months ago

I'm a bit confused about the difference between 69420-RT and 69421-RT. They both seem relevant, but I can't recall the specifics.

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Gussie

4 months ago

I remember practicing a similar question, and I think 69436-RT might be the right choice since it relates to the inflation procedure.

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Louis

5 months ago

I think the procedure involves eustachian tube inflation, but I'm not sure which CPT code applies.

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Ramonita

5 months ago

I'm a little confused by all the medical terminology in this report. I'm going to need to review my coding references carefully to make sure I select the right option.

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Deandrea

5 months ago

Okay, I think I've got this. Based on the procedure description, the correct CPT code is 69420-RT, which is the code for eustachian tube inflation.

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Alberta

5 months ago

Hmm, I'm a bit unsure about this one. The report mentions eustachian tube inflation, but I'm not sure which specific CPT code corresponds to that. I'll need to double-check the coding guidelines.

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Tasia

5 months ago

This seems like a straightforward question about CPT coding for the procedure described in the operative report. I'll carefully review the details to determine the correct code.

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Cristal

10 months ago

Wait, they inflated the eustachian tube? I didn't know those things came with a pump! Next thing you know, they'll be selling 'Eustachian Tube in a Can' at the pharmacy.

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Tamar

8 months ago

Haha, who knows? Maybe it'll be the next big thing in ear health!

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Oretha

8 months ago

I wonder if 'Eustachian Tube in a Can' would actually work. Sounds interesting!

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Gabriele

9 months ago

I know, right? It's crazy what they can do in medicine these days.

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Macy

10 months ago

You know, if this was a real exam, I'd probably just close my eyes and point. These CPT codes are so confusing sometimes! At least the patient didn't have any complications, that's a silver lining.

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Kayleigh

9 months ago

I think it might be 69433-RT, but I'm not 100% sure. What do you think?

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Margurite

9 months ago

I agree, it's always a relief when there are no complications. Do you have any guess on which CPT code is correct?

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Jacquelyne

9 months ago

I know what you mean, CPT coding can be tricky. But at least the patient didn't have any complications.

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Vallie

10 months ago

I'm not so sure about this one. The operative report says the tube was dilated, which makes me think 69433-RT might be the right code for dilation of eustachian tube.

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Maryrose

10 months ago

The procedure description mentions that thick mucoid fluid was suctioned, so I'm leaning towards 69420-RT as the correct code for tympanostomy with aspiration of fluid.

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Jettie

9 months ago

Yes, 69420-RT makes sense since it includes tympanostomy with aspiration of fluid, which was performed in this case.

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Celestina

9 months ago

I agree, 69420-RT seems like the most appropriate code based on the description of the procedure.

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Felicitas

10 months ago

I think you're on the right track with 69420-RT, it does involve aspiration of fluid during the procedure.

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Krystal

10 months ago

Hmm, this seems like a straightforward case of chronic otitis media treated with eustachian tube inflation. I think the correct CPT code would be 69421-RT, since that's the code for eustachian tube inflation.

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