Guidance
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued full guidance to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on Transperineal template biopsy of the prostate.
Description
The prostate is a small gland near a man's bladder. A test to collect a sample of tissue may be needed when there are concerns about possible prostate cancer.
Template transperineal biopsy involves the insertion of many fine needles though the skin between the scrotum and the anus in order to obtain tissue samples from the prostate for testing. The procedure is carried out with the patient under local or general anaesthesia.
Coding recommendations
M70.2 Perineal needle biopsy of prostate
Y53.2 Approach to organ under ultrasonic control
The NHS Classifications Service has advised NICE that currently these are the most suitable OPCS-4 codes to describe this procedure. The OPCS-4 classification is designed to categorise procedures for analysis and it is not always possible to identify a procedure uniquely.