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Official Description

Needle electromyography for guidance in conjunction with chemodenervation (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)

© Copyright 2025 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

Common Language Description

Needle electromyography (EMG) is a diagnostic procedure that involves the use of a needle electrode to assess the electrical activity of muscles. In the context of CPT® Code 95874, this procedure is specifically utilized for guidance in conjunction with chemodenervation, which is a therapeutic intervention aimed at reducing muscle spasticity. The primary purpose of performing needle EMG prior to chemodenervation is to enhance the accuracy of the injection site for the chemodenervation toxin. By precisely localizing the targeted muscle, healthcare providers can ensure that the toxin is administered directly into the spastic muscle, thereby maximizing the effectiveness of the treatment. The procedure involves the careful advancement of a combination recording needle electrode and a hypodermic needle containing the chemodenervation agent through the skin and into the muscle. This meticulous approach not only helps in confirming the correct placement of the needle but also minimizes the risk of injecting into nearby blood vessels. The recording device is activated to monitor the electrical activity, providing real-time feedback on the needle's position. Once the appropriate site is confirmed, the chemodenervation toxin is injected, which is reported as a separate procedure. The flexibility of the needle allows for adjustments, enabling the clinician to withdraw and reinsert it at various locations within the muscle to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes.

© Copyright 2025 Coding Ahead. All rights reserved.

1. Indications

Needle electromyography (EMG) is indicated for use in conjunction with chemodenervation in cases where precise localization of the injection site is necessary. The following conditions may warrant the use of this procedure:

  • Muscle Spasticity - Conditions characterized by increased muscle tone and involuntary muscle contractions, which may benefit from targeted chemodenervation.
  • Neuromuscular Disorders - Disorders affecting the connection between nerves and muscles, where accurate injection sites are critical for effective treatment.
  • Botulinum Toxin Therapy - Patients undergoing treatment with botulinum toxin for conditions such as cervical dystonia or spasticity, requiring precise needle placement.

2. Procedure

The procedure for needle electromyography in conjunction with chemodenervation involves several key steps to ensure accurate localization and effective treatment:

  • Step 1: Preparation - The patient is positioned comfortably, and the skin over the targeted muscle is cleaned and disinfected to minimize the risk of infection. The clinician explains the procedure to the patient, ensuring informed consent is obtained.
  • Step 2: Needle Insertion - A combination recording needle electrode and a hypodermic needle containing the chemodenervation toxin are carefully advanced through the skin and into the muscle. The clinician uses anatomical landmarks and palpation to guide the needle to the appropriate site.
  • Step 3: Electromyography Monitoring - Once the needle is inserted, the recording device is activated to monitor the electrical activity of the muscle. This step is crucial for confirming that the needle is positioned within the spastic muscle and not in adjacent blood vessels.
  • Step 4: Injection of Chemodenervation Toxin - After confirming the correct needle placement, the clinician injects the chemodenervation toxin into the muscle. This step may be performed as a separate reportable procedure, and the clinician may adjust the needle position to deliver additional injections at different sites within the muscle as needed.
  • Step 5: Completion - After the injections are completed, the needle is withdrawn, and the site may be bandaged if necessary. The patient is monitored for any immediate adverse reactions before being discharged.

3. Post-Procedure

Post-procedure care following needle electromyography and chemodenervation includes monitoring the patient for any immediate side effects or complications, such as bruising or discomfort at the injection site. Patients may be advised to avoid strenuous activities for a short period following the procedure to allow for optimal recovery. Follow-up appointments may be scheduled to assess the effectiveness of the chemodenervation treatment and to determine if additional injections are necessary. It is important for patients to report any unusual symptoms or concerns to their healthcare provider during the recovery period.

Short Descr GUIDE NERV DESTR NEEDLE EMG
Medium Descr NEEDLE EMG GUID W/CHEMODENERVATION
Long Descr Needle electromyography for guidance in conjunction with chemodenervation (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
Status Code Active Code
Global Days ZZZ - Code Related to Another Service
PC/TC Indicator (26, TC) 1 - Diagnostic Tests for Radiology Services
Multiple Procedures (51) 0 - No payment adjustment rules for multiple procedures apply.
Bilateral Surgery (50) 0 - 150% payment adjustment for bilateral procedures does NOT apply.
Physician Supervisions 09 - Concept does not apply.
Assistant Surgeon (80, 82) 0 - Payment restriction for assistants at surgery applies to this procedure...
Co-Surgeons (62) 0 - Co-surgeons not permitted for this procedure.
Team Surgery (66) 0 - Team surgeons not permitted for this procedure.
Diagnostic Imaging Family 99 - Concept Does Not Apply
APC Status Indicator Items and Services Packaged into APC Rates
Type of Service (TOS) 5 - Diagnostic Laboratory
Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) P6C - Minor procedures - other (Medicare fee schedule)
MUE 1
CCS Clinical Classification 7 - Other diagnostic nervous system procedures

This is an add-on code that must be used in conjunction with one of these primary codes.

64612 MPFS Status: Active Code APC T ASC P3 CPT Assistant Article Chemodenervation of muscle(s); muscle(s) innervated by facial nerve, unilateral (eg, for blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm)
64615 MPFS Status: Active Code APC T ASC P3 Chemodenervation of muscle(s); muscle(s) innervated by facial, trigeminal, cervical spinal and accessory nerves, bilateral (eg, for chronic migraine)
64616 MPFS Status: Active Code APC T ASC P3 Chemodenervation of muscle(s); neck muscle(s), excluding muscles of the larynx, unilateral (eg, for cervical dystonia, spasmodic torticollis)
64642 MPFS Status: Active Code APC T ASC P3 Chemodenervation of one extremity; 1-4 muscle(s)
64643 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N ASC N1 Chemodenervation of one extremity; each additional extremity, 1-4 muscle(s) (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
64644 MPFS Status: Active Code APC T ASC P3 Chemodenervation of one extremity; 5 or more muscles
64645 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N ASC N1 Chemodenervation of one extremity; each additional extremity, 5 or more muscles (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
64646 MPFS Status: Active Code APC T ASC P3 Chemodenervation of trunk muscle(s); 1-5 muscle(s)
64647 MPFS Status: Active Code APC T ASC P3 Chemodenervation of trunk muscle(s); 6 or more muscles
26 Professional component: certain procedures are a combination of a physician or other qualified health care professional component and a technical component. when the physician or other qualified health care professional component is reported separately, the service may be identified by adding modifier 26 to the usual procedure number.
59 Distinct procedural service: under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was distinct or independent from other non-e/m services performed on the same day. modifier 59 is used to identify procedures/services, other than e/m services, that are not normally reported together, but are appropriate under the circumstances. documentation must support a different session, different procedure or surgery, different site or organ system, separate incision/excision, separate lesion, or separate injury (or area of injury in extensive injuries) not ordinarily encountered or performed on the same day by the same individual. however, when another already established modifier is appropriate it should be used rather than modifier 59. only if no more descriptive modifier is available, and the use of modifier 59 best explains the circumstances, should modifier 59 be used. note: modifier 59 should not be appended to an e/m service. to report a separate and distinct e/m service with a non-e/m service performed on the same date, see modifier 25.
GC This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician
KX Requirements specified in the medical policy have been met
CR Catastrophe/disaster related
GA Waiver of liability statement issued as required by payer policy, individual case
X4 Episodic/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians who provide focused care on particular types of treatment limited to a defined period and circumstance; the patient has a problem, acute or chronic, that will be treated with surgery, radiation, or some other type of generally time-limited intervention; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the orthopedic surgeon performing a knee replacement and seeing the patient through the postoperative period
X2 Continuous/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians whose expertise is needed for the ongoing management of a chronic disease or a condition that needs to be managed and followed with no planned endpoint to the relationship; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to: a rheumatologist taking care of the patient's rheumatoid arthritis longitudinally but not providing general primary care services
XE Separate encounter, a service that is distinct because it occurred during a separate encounter
76 Repeat procedure or service by same physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was repeated by the same physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 76 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service.
LT Left side (used to identify procedures performed on the left side of the body)
TC Technical component; under certain circumstances, a charge may be made for the technical component alone; under those circumstances the technical component charge is identified by adding modifier 'tc' to the usual procedure number; technical component charges are institutional charges and not billed separately by physicians; however, portable x-ray suppliers only bill for technical component and should utilize modifier tc; the charge data from portable x-ray suppliers will then be used to build customary and prevailing profiles
79 Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: the individual may need to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was unrelated to the original procedure. this circumstance may be reported by using modifier 79. (for repeat procedures on the same day, see modifier 76.)
GW Service not related to the hospice patient's terminal condition
50 Bilateral procedure: unless otherwise identified in the listings, bilateral procedures that are performed at the same session, should be identified by adding modifier 50 to the appropriate 5 digit code. note: this modifier should not be appended to designated "add-on" codes (see appendix d).
51 Multiple procedures: when multiple procedures, other than e/m services, physical medicine and rehabilitation services or provision of supplies (eg, vaccines), are performed at the same session by the same individual, the primary procedure or service may be reported as listed. the additional procedure(s) or service(s) may be identified by appending modifier 51 to the additional procedure or service code(s). note: this modifier should not be appended to designated "add-on" codes (see appendix d).
52 Reduced services: under certain circumstances a service or procedure is partially reduced or eliminated at the discretion of the physician or other qualified health care professional. under these circumstances the service provided can be identified by its usual procedure number and the addition of modifier 52, signifying that the service is reduced. this provides a means of reporting reduced services without disturbing the identification of the basic service. note: for hospital outpatient reporting of a previously scheduled procedure/service that is partially reduced or cancelled as a result of extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well-being of the patient prior to or after administration of anesthesia, see modifiers 73 and 74 (see modifiers approved for asc hospital outpatient use).
58 Staged or related procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: it may be necessary to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was: (a) planned or anticipated (staged); (b) more extensive than the original procedure; or (c) for therapy following a surgical procedure. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 58 to the staged or related procedure. note: for treatment of a problem that requires a return to the operating/procedure room (eg, unanticipated clinical condition), see modifier 78.
77 Repeat procedure by another physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a basic procedure or service was repeated by another physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 77 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service.
95 Synchronous telemedicine service rendered via a real-time interactive audio and video telecommunications system: synchronous telemedicine service is defined as a real-time interaction between a physician or other qualified health care professional and a patient who is located at a distant site from the physician or other qualified health care professional. the totality of the communication of information exchanged between the physician or other qualified health care professional and the patient during the course of the synchronous telemedicine service must be of an amount and nature that would be sufficient to meet the key components and/or requirements of the same service when rendered via a face-to-face interaction. modifier 95 may only be appended to the services listed in appendix p. appendix p is the list of cpt codes for services that are typically performed face-to-face, but may be rendered via a real-time (synchronous) interactive audio and video telecommunications system.
97 Rehabilitative services: when a service or procedure that may be either habilitative or rehabilitative in nature is provided for rehabilitative purposes, the physician or other qualified health care professional may add modifier 97 to the service or procedure code to indicate that the service or procedure provided was a rehabilitative service. rehabilitative services help an individual keep, get back, or improve skills and functioning for daily living that have been lost or impaired because the individual was sick, hurt, or disabled.
AQ Physician providing a service in an unlisted health professional shortage area (hpsa)
CC Procedure code change (use 'cc' when the procedure code submitted was changed either for administrative reasons or because an incorrect code was filed)
GV Attending physician not employed or paid under arrangement by the patient's hospice provider
GY Item or service statutorily excluded, does not meet the definition of any medicare benefit or, for non-medicare insurers, is not a contract benefit
GZ Item or service expected to be denied as not reasonable and necessary
JZ Zero drug amount discarded/not administered to any patient
PD Diagnostic or related non diagnostic item or service provided in a wholly owned or operated entity to a patient who is admitted as an inpatient within 3 days
PO Excepted service provided at an off-campus, outpatient, provider-based department of a hospital
Q1 Routine clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study
RT Right side (used to identify procedures performed on the right side of the body)
XP Separate practitioner, a service that is distinct because it was performed by a different practitioner
XS Separate structure, a service that is distinct because it was performed on a separate organ/structure
XU Unusual non-overlapping service, the use of a service that is distinct because it does not overlap usual components of the main service
Date
Action
Notes
2013-01-01 Changed Revised parenthentical note per AMA corrections document dated 2013-03-22.
2011-01-01 Changed Short description changed.
2006-01-01 Added First appearance in code book in 2006.
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