Percutaneous electrothermal treatment of the intervertebral disc annulus for low back pain and sciatica

Clinical classification codes

Coding recommendations

OPCS-4 

V62.- Primary percutaneous intradiscal radiofrequency thermocoagulation to intervertebral disc
V55.- Levels of spine
Y53.4 Approach to organ under fluoroscopic control

Or:

V63.- Revisional percutaneous intradiscal radiofrequency thermocoagulation to intervertebral disc
V55.- Levels of spine
Y53.4 Approach to organ under fluoroscopic control

Note: Codes within categories V62 and V63 specify the area of the spine where the operation takes place. If the area of spine is not specified, the code V62.9 Unspecified primary percutaneous intradiscal radiofrequency thermocoagulation to intervertebral disc or V63.9 Unspecified revisional percutaneous intradiscal radiofrequency thermocoagulation to intervertebral disc is used.

Note: Codes within category V55.- are assigned in second place each time a spinal operation is coded. If the levels of spine are not specified, the code V55.9 Unspecified levels of spine is used.

The Clinical Classifications Service has advised NICE that currently these are the most suitable OPCS-4 codes to describe this procedure.  The OPCS-4 classification is designed to categorise procedures for analysis and it is not always possible to identify a procedure uniquely.

ICD-10

In addition the ICD-10 code M54.5 Low back pain or M54.3 Sciatica would be recorded.