In simple words: This code is used for situations where a patient's body temperature is intentionally lowered during a surgical procedure, which makes giving anesthesia more complex. It's mainly used during brain surgeries.

This add-on code describes the use of total body hypothermia induced by the provider during a procedure, which complicates the administration of anesthesia. It should be reported in addition to a primary anesthesia procedure code. The provider must document inducing the hypothermic state at the time of providing the anesthesia service to support using this code.

Example 1: A patient undergoing intracranial surgery requires induced hypothermia to protect brain tissue. The anesthesiologist induces and maintains hypothermia during the procedure, requiring additional monitoring and adjustments to anesthetic agents., A patient undergoing complex cardiac surgery requires deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. This requires specialized anesthetic management beyond routine cardiac anesthesia., A patient with severe traumatic brain injury requires induced hypothermia to reduce brain swelling and metabolic demand. Anesthesia is adjusted for the hypothermic state and continuous temperature monitoring.

Documentation should include the reason for inducing hypothermia, target temperature, method of inducing and maintaining hypothermia, and any anesthetic adjustments made due to the hypothermic state.

** It is crucial to ensure appropriate documentation to justify the medical necessity of induced hypothermia and the use of code 99116. Always check with specific payer guidelines for any applicable modifiers or restrictions on the use of this code.