Ophthalmic Coding Specialist Practice Test

What surgical technique does CPT code 66820 utilize?

1. Laser-assisted surgery

2. Knife discission technique

3. Ultrasound fragmentation

4. Vacuum aspiration

The correct answer is: Knife discission technique

CPT code 66820 refers specifically to the surgical procedure for the extraction of a cataract using a technique known as the knife dissection technique. This code is applied to procedures in which the surgeon utilizes a surgical blade to create incisions in the eye to remove the cloudy lens that constitutes the cataract. The use of this link between the code and the method is critical in ensuring proper billing and reimbursement for cataract surgery. Understanding this code helps in recognizing that it focuses on a more traditional surgical approach, which differentiates it from newer methods. For instance, laser-assisted surgery (commonly associated with other codes) employs a laser for precision, while ultrasound fragmentation typically describes phacoemulsification procedures, which involve breaking up the cataract using ultrasonic waves. Additionally, vacuum aspiration is a technique used primarily in other contexts and is not relevant to the extraction process specified by code 66820. Therefore, this context validates the choice of knife dissection as the correct and applicable surgical technique.