When submitting a clean claim with a diagnosis of kidney stones, the name of the procedure is?

When submitting a clean claim with a diagnosis of kidney stones, the name of the procedure is?

• A. Nephrolithiasis
• B. Lithotripsy
• C. Nephrectomy
• D. Pyelolithotomy

Answer: (A)

In medical coding, a diagnosis name describes the condition, while a procedure name describes the treatment performed. For kidney stones, the condition is nephrolithiasis. The common procedure name used to treat or address stones is lithotripsy, which breaks the stones into smaller pieces so they can pass. Pyelolithotomy is another possible procedure (surgical removal from the renal pelvis), but it’s not the general procedure name for kidney stones. Nephrectomy would be removal of the kidney and isn’t a typical treatment for stones. So, when asked for the procedure name, lithotripsy is the best match.

In medical coding, a diagnosis name describes the condition, while a procedure name describes the treatment performed. For kidney stones, the condition is nephrolithiasis. The common procedure name used to treat or address stones is lithotripsy, which breaks the stones into smaller pieces so they can pass. Pyelolithotomy is another possible procedure (surgical removal from the renal pelvis), but it’s not the general procedure name for kidney stones. Nephrectomy would be removal of the kidney and isn’t a typical treatment for stones. So, when asked for the procedure name, lithotripsy is the best match.