Question:
How would you code a patient that came in with a STEMI of the LAD and had a DES placed in LAD but then had a dissection in the circumflex artery and had a DES placed there as well? Would it be C9606 LD and C9606 LC, or would the circumflex not be considered a STEMI?
Answer:
The code for PCI during acute myocardial infarction can only be assigned once. If, in this case, the LAD was the culprit lesion, the following would be assigned:
C9606-LD Percutaneous transluminal revascularization of acute total/subtotal occlusion during acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery or coronary artery bypass graft, any combination of drug-eluting intracoronary stent, atherectomy and angioplasty, including aspiration thrombectomy when performed, single vessel
C9600-LC Percutaneous transcatheter placement of drug eluting intracoronary stent(s), with coronary angioplasty when performed; single major coronary artery or branch