Strengthen your understanding of regional anesthesia and nerve block coding.
This collection of Regional Anesthesia & Nerve Block Tip Sheets provides quick, focused guidance on commonly performed blocks, relevant anatomy, documentation considerations, and CPT® code selection.
Each tip sheet is designed to help you identify the nerve or anatomical region targeted, understand the approach performed, and distinguish between similar blocks when determining the appropriate code.
Explore 01 through 10 below.
01 | Don’t Code the Block Name — Code the Anatomy
Learn why the documented block name may not identify the actual nerve, plexus, or fascial plane targeted. Follow the anatomy from location → target → technique → code to support accurate regional anesthesia code selection.
02 | Single Injection vs Continuous Catheter
Understand why the same anatomical target can lead to different code selection based on technique. Learn to distinguish a single injection from a continuous catheter by identifying the documented nerve or plexus, catheter placement, and ongoing infusion technique.
03 | Postoperative Pain Blocks: When Can They Be Separately Reported?
Learn why postoperative pain benefit alone does not make a regional block separately reportable. Review the block’s purpose, primary anesthetic, relationship to the surgical anesthesia, documentation, and applicable NCCI and payer requirements before determining whether separate reporting is appropriate.
04 | Ultrasound Guidance 76942: When Is It Separately Reportable?
Learn why documenting “ultrasound guided” does not automatically support reporting 76942. Review whether imaging guidance is already included in the primary procedure and whether the record supports real-time guidance, permanent image documentation, and the required report before determining separate reportability.
05 | Femoral vs Saphenous vs Adductor Canal Blocks
Understand why femoral, saphenous, and adductor canal are not interchangeable terms. Learn to separate the injection location from the neural target and use the documented anatomy, approach, and technique to guide accurate code selection.
06 | Popliteal Sciatic vs Popliteal Fossa: What Are You Really Coding?
Understand why “popliteal” identifies a region—not necessarily the nerve being blocked. Learn to distinguish the popliteal location from the sciatic, tibial, common fibular, or other neural target and use the documented anatomy and technique to guide accurate code selection.
07 | TAP vs QL Blocks: Understanding Fascial Plane Coding
Learn why the documented fascial plane, side, and technique—not simply the block name—drive code selection. Understand how TAP and QL approaches differ and how unilateral versus bilateral and single-injection versus continuous techniques affect the coding decision.
08 | iPACK Block: Anatomy Drives the Code
Understand why iPACK describes an anatomical technique—not a CPT® code or a named nerve block. Learn to distinguish a posterior knee plane infiltration from direct nerve targeting by following the documented needle-tip location, injectate plane, and intended anatomical target.
09 | Epidural vs Spinal vs CSE: Know the Neuraxial Technique
Understand why spinal, epidural, and combined spinal-epidural (CSE) techniques are not interchangeable. Learn to identify the anatomical space, medication route, catheter use, and role of the neuraxial technique to accurately interpret the anesthesia record.
10 | Block Documentation: What Must Be in the Record?
Learn the essential documentation elements needed to support a defensible regional anesthesia coding decision. Review the anatomical target, laterality, approach, technique, purpose, ultrasound guidance, catheter details, and distinctness needed to code the service without relying on assumptions.
