Endoscopic laser foraminoplasty

Summary

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued full guidance to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on endoscopic laser foraminoplasty in December 2003. In accordance with the Interventional Procedures Programme Process Guide, guidance on procedures with special arrangements are reviewed 3 years after publication and the procedure is reassessed if important new evidence is available.

The guidance was considered for reassessment in October 2009 and it was concluded that NICE will not be updating this guidance at this stage. However, if you believe there is new evidence which should warrant a review of our guidance, please contact us via the email address below.

Description

This procedure is mainly used to treat back pain caused by a prolapsed intervertebral disc. Approximately 2-5% of people suffer acute back pain per annum, while 0.5% of these have pain and neurologic conditions requiring surgery.

This endoscope-assisted laser technique is used to widen the lumbar exit route foramina in the spine. A laser is inserted to ablate portions of the intervertebral disc which have protruded.

OPCS4.6 Code(s):

V56.- Primary foraminoplasty of spine

V55.- Levels of spine

Y76.3 Endoscopic approach to other body cavity

Or if this is a revisional procedure:

V57.- Revisional foraminoplasty of spine

V55.- Levels of spine

Y76.3 Endoscopic approach to other body cavity

Note: Codes from categories V56.- or V57.- are selected depending on the site in the spine that is operated on, and fourth character detail is required.

Codes within category V55.- are assigned in second place each time a spinal operation is coded: if the levels of spine are not specified, V55.9 Unspecified levels of spine is used.

_{The NHS Classifications Service of NHS Connecting for Health is the central definitive source for clinical coding guidance and determines the coding standards associated with the classifications (OPCS-4 and ICD-10) to be used across the NHS. The NHS Classifications Service and NICE work collaboratively to ensure the most appropriate classification codes are provided. www.connectingforhealth.co.uk/clinicalcoding}

Details

Contact details:

Links:

	IPG31 Endoscopic laser foraminoplasty: guidance (web format)	03 February 2011
	IPG31 Endoscopic laser foraminoplasty: guidance	17 December 2003
	IPG31 Endoscopic laser foraminoplasty: understanding NICE guidance	17 December 2003
	IPG31 Fforaminoplasti laser endosgopig: deall canllawiau NICE	12 May 2009
	IPG31 Endoscopic laser foraminoplasty: distribution list	17 December 2003
	Interventional procedures consultation document - endoscopic laser foraminoplasty	22 April 2003
	Consent - procedures for which the benefits and risks are uncertain	27 November 2003
	Overview of endoscopic laser foraminoplasty (ELF)	17 April 2003