Question

a 65 - year - old patient is complaining of difficulty breathing. patient is scheduled for a diagnostic vats (video - assisted thoracoscopic surgery). under general anesthesia he was placed in left lateral decubitus position and a thoracoscope was inserted through a port site. the vats exploration immediately revealed a mass of the right upper lobe. a biopsy was performed and sent to pathology. results from pathology revealed small cell carcinoma. the decision was made to perform vats and remove the upper lobe of the right lung. what cpt® code(s) is (are) reported?
o 32480
o 32671, 32609 - 51
o 32663, 32607 - 51
o 32663

Explanation:

The CPT code for VATS exploration with biopsy and subsequent VATS - upper lobectomy of the right lung is 32663 for the VATS lobectomy and 32607 - 51 for the separate biopsy (modifier 51 indicates multiple procedures).

Answer:

B. 32663, 32607 - 51