Can we Bill Co-surgeon if Called in to OR by Another Specialty for a Separate Procedure?

Question:

Our vascular surgeon was called into the OR by an orthopedic surgeon who was treating a patient for a traumatic injury of the lower left extremity as the result of an MVA.  While stabilizing an open tib-fib fracture the ortho surgeon identified a transected posterior tibial artery and called the vascular surgeon for an intra-operative consult.  The vascular surgeon quickly repaired the injured artery and then turned the patient back over to the ortho surgeon. Can we bill the vascular surgeon as co-surgeon?

Answer:

No; co-surgery involves both surgeons performing integral portions of the same procedure (CPT code). In this case, the vascular surgeon is the only one repairing the injured vessel so the vascular surgeon would document his/her own op note with the details of the vascular procedure and code accordingly (likely CPT code  35226).

*This response is based on the best information available as of 6/20/24.