2025 CPT code 63047
Effective Date: N/A Surgery - Surgical Procedures on the Nervous System Feed
Laminectomy, facetectomy, and foraminotomy at a single lumbar vertebral segment to decompress the spinal cord and/or nerve roots (e.g., for spinal stenosis).
Modifiers may be applicable to indicate specific circumstances, such as increased procedural services (22), multiple procedures (51), or distinct procedural services (59).
Medical necessity must be established by documenting the patient's symptoms, neurological findings, and imaging studies confirming the diagnosis and demonstrating nerve compression. Conservative treatment options should have been attempted, if appropriate, before resorting to surgery.
The surgeon performs the procedure with the patient under general anesthesia. The surgeon removes the spinous process and a portion of the lamina, followed by decompression of the affected nerve roots and/or spinal cord. The procedure addresses the affected vertebra and the nerve roots exiting the foramen on either side.
In simple words: This surgery removes parts of the bone in your lower back to relieve pressure on the nerves in your spine. This can help with pain, numbness, or weakness caused by conditions like spinal stenosis.
The procedure involves a laminectomy (excision of the lamina), a facetectomy (excision of a facet joint), and a foraminotomy (enlarging the intervertebral foramen) at a single lumbar vertebral segment. This is performed to alleviate pressure on the spinal cord, cauda equina, and/or nerve roots, typically due to conditions like spinal stenosis or lateral recess stenosis. The procedure can be unilateral or bilateral.
Example 1: A patient presents with persistent lower back pain and radiating leg pain due to lumbar spinal stenosis at L4. A 63047 procedure is performed to decompress the affected nerve roots., A patient experiences numbness and weakness in their right leg due to lateral recess stenosis at L5. A 63047 procedure is performed to relieve pressure on the impinged nerve root., A patient has cauda equina syndrome caused by compression at the L4-L5 level. A 63047 procedure is performed at L4 followed by +63048 for the additional level at L5 to decompress the cauda equina.
Documentation should include the diagnosis necessitating the procedure (e.g., spinal stenosis, lateral recess stenosis, herniated disc), the specific lumbar level operated on, whether the procedure was unilateral or bilateral, and any intraoperative findings.
- Specialties:Neurosurgery, Orthopedic Surgery
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center