During an anterovertical hemilaryngectomy, a 42-year-old female patient developed cardiac distress; the procedure was discontinued until stabilization. What is the correct procedure code and modifier?

During an anterovertical hemilaryngectomy, a 42-year-old female patient developed cardiac distress; the procedure was discontinued until stabilization. What is the correct procedure code and modifier?

• A. 31380
• B. 31380-53
• C. 31382-53
• D. 31300-53

Answer: (B)

When a planned surgical procedure is started but must be stopped due to a medical event, you attach modifier 53 (Discontinued procedure) to the CPT code that describes the procedure that was being attempted. In this scenario, an anterovertical hemilaryngectomy is a partial laryngectomy described by code 31380. Because the cardiac distress led to stopping the operation until stabilization, the correct coding is 31380-53. The other options don’t fit because they either omit the discontinuation modifier (implying the procedure was completed) or refer to a different procedure, not the one actually planned and started.

When a planned surgical procedure is started but must be stopped due to a medical event, you attach modifier 53 (Discontinued procedure) to the CPT code that describes the procedure that was being attempted. In this scenario, an anterovertical hemilaryngectomy is a partial laryngectomy described by code 31380. Because the cardiac distress led to stopping the operation until stabilization, the correct coding is 31380-53. The other options don’t fit because they either omit the discontinuation modifier (implying the procedure was completed) or refer to a different procedure, not the one actually planned and started.