What is the correct coding approach when percutaneous drainage is performed without leaving an indwelling catheter in place at the end of the procedure?
Percutaneous drainage codes 10030, 49405, 49406, and 49407 include catheter placement and imaging guidance. These codes require the placement of an indwelling catheter. Do not assign 75989 with these codes. When drainage is performed without leaving a drainage catheter in place at the end of the procedure, this is considered an aspiration service and should be coded to a body site specific aspiration code, or when that does not exist, utilize 10160 with correlating modality imaging guidance code.
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