Sacral Nerve Stimulation: CPT Coding
** This post was reviewed and updated on October 11, 2023. **
Name That Code
Question: A female patient with interstitial cystitis is being seen by her urologist for percutaneous implantation of a neurostimulator electrode array. The neurostimulator electrode array is placed for direct transforaminal sacral nerve stimulation, and fluoroscopic guidance is used to place the electrodes. Assign the correct CPT code.
Answer:
CPT: 64561
Sacral Nerve Stimulation in CPT
The patient has interstitial cystitis and is undergoing sacral nerve stimulation. This is a procedure performed to hopefully eliminate some of her signs and symptoms.
Locate and Verify
To find the correct code, look in the CPT coding manual Index under Sacral Nerve/ neurostimulator electrode implants, incisional/percutaneous 64561. CPT code 64561 can be verified in the Tabular as:
64561, Percutaneous implantation of neurostimulator electrode array; sacral nerve (transforaminal placement) including image guidance, if performed
The CPT coding guidelines state:
“(For percutaneous electrical neuromuscular stimulation or neuromodulation using needle[s] or needle electrode[s] [eg, PENS, PNT], use 64999).”
CPT code 64561 is located in the Surgery section under Surgical Procedures on the Nervous System/Surgical Procedures on the Extracranial Nerves, Peripheral Nerves, and Autonomic Nervous System.
The Neurostimulator Procedures on the Peripheral Nerves include CPT codes 64553, 64555, and 64561 to report both temporary and permanent placement of percutaneous electrode arrays. The codes are based on the nerve that is targeted.
Sacral Neuromodulation Procedure
Sacral neuromodulation, or sacral nerve stimulation, is considered the fourth line of treatment for interstitial cystitis symptoms such as pain, urinary frequency, and urinary urgency. Once a patient has undergone other more conservative treatments without success, an initial trial testing phase of sacral neuromodulation (SNM)/sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) may be warranted. SNM/SNS is usually done as a staged procedure, and programming, monitoring, and revision surgery is often needed.
Basic Test/Percutaneous Nerve Evaluation
This initial trial testing phase is referred to as the Basic Test, or percutaneous nerve evaluation (PNE). It is also known as a peripheral nerve evaluation. The purpose of this trial procedure is to determine the effectiveness of sacral neuromodulation (SNM) and to determine if an implantable stimulator should be placed permanently.
According to the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS), this temporary external stimulation test is done in the physician’s office under local anesthesia. Temporary test electrodes are placed into the sacral foramen for direct transforaminal stimulation of the sacral nerve.
A spinal needle is used to locate the sacral nerve(s), and a neurostimulator electrode array is placed for direct transforaminal stimulation of the sacral nerve. There it remains for a period of several days.
The procedure is usually done on both sides and with fluoroscopic guidance (if it is available in the office). The patient will keep a voiding diary over the next several days and return for follow-up and discussion of test stimulation results.
Coding for Bilateral Sides
Since the procedure is typically done on both sides, and they are each done separately, CPT 64561 should be reported twice, and modifier 50 (bilateral procedure) should be appended to one of the codes.
There is no need to report a separate CPT code for the fluoroscopic imaging since it is already included in CPT 64561. Removal of the electrodes is not coded separately since it is usually done during the 10-day global period.
Documentation
Documentation should provide the patient’s symptoms of urinary urgency, urinary frequency, or urinary retention, along with any known etiologies such as interstitial cystitis. The documentation should also indicate previous therapeutic measures that have failed.
Conclusion
Sacral nerve neuromodulation/stimulation is a procedure performed only after other conservative measures have been tried unsuccessfully. For patients with interstitial cystitis, it is the fourth line of treatment done as a temporary means to determine if permanent placement of a neurostimulator is in order. Coders should pay close attention to the provider’s documentation and apply the coding guidelines and conventions for each staged procedure.
