S286 – Completion cholecystectomy
OHIP Urology Code · Schedule of Benefits
Completion cholecystectomy (removal of gallbladder remnant following prior incomplete or subtotal cholecystectomy)
When to Use
- Use S286 specifically when performing a secondary procedure to excise a gallbladder remnant left behind during a previous subtotal cholecystectomy.
- Use S286 when the primary objective is the removal of symptomatic cystic duct or gallbladder stump tissue that was not addressed in the initial S287 procedure.
Common Pitfalls
- Billing S286 alongside S287 is a common error; these are clinically mutually exclusive and will trigger an automatic rejection.
- Failing to document the specific history of the prior incomplete cholecystectomy, which is a mandatory requirement to justify the higher complexity fee of S286 over a standard cholecystectomy.
- Attempting to bill E673 for adhesiolysis without explicit documentation of 60 minutes of dedicated time, which is frequently audited for this specific procedure due to the high likelihood of post-surgical scarring.
Billing Tips
- Always append the appropriate age-based premium if the patient is under 16 years of age, as these are not automatically calculated by the system.
- If the procedure is performed on an emergency basis after hours, ensure you apply either E409 or E410 to the S286 base fee to capture the correct procedural uplift.
Effective: April 1, 2026
Surgical Procedure
Surgery
The procedure must involve the removal of a gallbladder remnant following a prior incomplete or subtotal cholecystectomy.
Clinical indication of a gallbladder remnant following prior incomplete or subtotal cholecystectomy.
The surgical benefit does not include the major pre-operative visit.
Age-based premiums apply: 30% (<30 days), 25% (30 days to <1 year), 20% (1 to <2 years), 15% (2 to <5 years), 10% (5 to <16 years).
Lysis of adhesions (E673) requires at least 60 minutes of dedicated operative time to be billable separately.
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