AAPC Chapter 16: Anesthesia Glossary

Question 1

Codes for procedures commonly carried out in addition to the primary procedure performed; may not be reported alone.

Answer 1

Add-on codes.

Question 2

Codes identified with a + sign.

Answer 2

Add-on codes.

Question 3

A health professional who has completed an accredited anesthesia assistant training program.

Answer 3

Anesthesiologist assistant.

Question 4

A physician licensed to practice medicine who has completed an accredited anesthesiology program.

Answer 4

Anesthesiologist.

Question 5

Begins when the anesthesiologist/ anesthesia provider begins to prepare the patient for the induction of anesthesia and ends when the anesthesiologist/or anesthesia provider is no longer in personal attendance.

Answer 5

Anesthesia time.

Question 6

A catheter inserted into an artery that is used most commonly to measure real-time blood pressure and to obtain samples for arterial blood gas.

Answer 6

Arterial line.

Question 7

A value assigned to anesthesia codes for anesthetic management of surgery and diagnostic tests that vary depending on difficulty of the surgery or diagnostic tests and management of anesthesia.

Answer 7

Base Unit Value.

Question 8

A technique to temporarily take over heart and lung function.

Answer 8

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Question 9

A catheter placed in a large vein (e.g., internal jugular, subclavian, femoral) with the catheter tip in, or close to, the right atrium of the heart.

Answer 9

Central venous catheter.

Question 10

A registered nurse who has completed an accredited nurse anesthetist training program.

Answer 10

Certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA).

Question 11

A technique used in general anesthesia to reduce blood pressure in order to control bleeding during surgery.

Answer 11

Controlled/deliberate hypotension

Question 12

A unit multiplier used to convert anesthesia units into a dollar amount for anesthesia services.

Answer 12

Conversion factor.

Question 13

Which entities review conversion factors?

Answer 13

CMS, also may be negotiated with insurance companies.

Question 14

How often does CMS review conversion factors?

Answer 14

Annually.

Question 15

Direct measurement of blood pressure in the right atrium and vena cava.

Answer 15

CVP (central venous pressure).

Question 16

Reflects the amount of blood returning to the heart and ability of the heart to pump blood from the right side of the heart into the pulmonary system.

Answer 16

CVP (central venous pressure).

Question 17

A situation where a delay in treatment would lead to significant increase in the threat to life or body part.

Answer 17

Emergency.

Question 18

A fee based on the physician fee schedule.

Answer 18

Flat fee.

Question 19

Payments of these fees are made under the Relative Value Unit (RVU) rather than by conversion factor, and time is not a consideration for payment.

Answer 19

Flat fee.

Question 20

A drug-induced loss of consciousness during which patients cannot be aroused.

Answer 20

General anesthesia.

Question 21

Implies a temperature of 20 degrees centigrade or less.

Answer 21

Hypothermic circulatory arrest.

Question 22

Occurs when an anesthesiologist is involved in 2, 3, or 4 concurrent anesthesia procedures, or a single anesthesia procedure with a qualified anesthetist.

Answer 22

Medical direction.

Question 23

Occurs when an anesthesiologist is involved in five or more concurrent anesthesia procedures or fails to meet required medical direction criteria.

Answer 23

Medical supervision.

Question 24

A technique that does not require deep sedation or general anesthesia; the anesthesia provider must be prepared to convert to general anesthesia, if necessary.

Answer 24

Monitored anesthesia care (MAC).

Question 25

A flow directed catheter inserted into the pulmonary artery that is used to measure pressures and flows within the cardiovascular system.

Answer 25

Pulmonary artery catheter.

Question 26

Example of a pulmonary artery catheter.

Answer 26

Swan-Ganz.

Question 27

Used to report the physical status assigned to each patient undergoing anesthesia.

Answer 27

Physical status modifier.

Question 28

Patients are ranked by their individual health status; the anesthesia provider must assign the physical status.

Answer 28

Physical status modifier.

Question 29

Term used when a cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) machine is used to function as the heart and lungs during heart surgery.

Answer 29

Pump oxygenator.

Question 30

Circumstances significantly affecting the character of an anesthesia service.

Answer 30

Qualifying circumstances.

Question 31

These add-on procedures may be reported only with anesthesia codes; more than one may be reported, if applicable.

Answer 31

Qualifying circumstances.

Question 32

May not be reported separately when a code descriptor already indicates the circumstance.

Answer 32

Qualifying circumstances.

Question 33

Do not use these modifiers for Medicare Beneficiaries.

Answer 33

Qualifying circumstances.

Question 34

Loss of sensation in a region of the body, produced by application of an anesthetic agent.

Answer 34

Regional anesthesia.

Question 35

A unit measure, used to assign a value to services, that is determined by assigning weight to factors such as physician work, practice expense and malpractice expense.

Answer 35

Relative value Unit.

Question 36

A physician who has completed a medical degree and has entered a residency program specifically for anesthesiology training.

Answer 36

Anesthesia resident.

Question 37

A registered nurse who is training in an accredited nurse anesthetist program.

Answer 37

SRNA (student registered nurse anesthetist).

Question 38

Anesthesia provider avoids an area where the surgeon is working (usually on procedures around the head, neck or shoulder girdle).

Answer 38

Surgical field avoidance.

Question 39

What must a medical coder be sure of when assigning a code for anesthesia requiring field avoidance?

Answer 39

A minimum of base 5.

Question 40

Deliberate reduction of total body temperature, which reduces general tissue metabolism.

Answer 40

Total body hypothermia.

Question 41

Generally, temperature is reduced 20 to 30 percent below normal temperature.

Answer 41

Total body hypothermia.