22842 vs. 22843?

Question:

Would this be reported as 22842 or 22843? The documentation supports placing screws at C2, C3, C4, C5, C7, and T1 – with no screws at C6.

Answer:

Great question. Posterior segmental instrumentation is reported based on the number of attachments and the segments spanned. In the scenario presented above, the documentation supports more than two points of attachment, and the instrumentation spans 7 segments, even with C6 screws skipped. Therefore, code 22843 would be appropriate.

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*This response is based on the best information available as of 07/09/26.