Surgery: Digestive, Cardiovascular & Other Systems

• Surgical endoscopy always includes the diagnostic endoscopy — never code both. • Each endoscopy 'family' has a base code (e.g. 43235 diagnostic EGD, 45378 diagnostic colonoscopy). • Different techniques on different lesions → code each (e.g. 45380 biopsy + 45385 snare of another polyp). The same lesion treated with two techniques → generally code only the definitive one. • Biopsy codes (e.g. 45380, 43239) are reported once, regardless of how many biopsies. • Incomplete colonoscopy: for Medicare, colonoscopy that doesn't reach the cecum is coded with modifier 53 (if terminated) or follows CMS/CPT rules for reduced services (52).