2025 CPT code 33985
Effective Date: N/A Surgical Procedures on the Cardiovascular System - Cardiovascular System Surgery Feed
Removal of central cannula(e) for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or extracorporeal life support (ECLS) via sternotomy or thoracotomy in patients birth through 5 years of age.
Modifiers may be applicable to this code to indicate specific circumstances, such as increased procedural services (modifier 22) or discontinued procedures (modifier 53).
Medical necessity for this procedure is established when the patient's heart and/or lung function has recovered sufficiently to allow for safe discontinuation of ECMO/ECLS support. This is determined by the physician based on clinical findings, laboratory results, and imaging studies.
The physician is responsible for the entire procedure, including prepping and anesthetizing the patient, making the incisions, removing the cannula(e), closing the incisions, and managing any complications.They also determine when the patient is ready to be weaned off ECMO/ECLS support.
In simple words: This procedure involves removing tubes used to bypass the heart and/or lungs in newborns and children up to 5 years old. The tubes are removed through an incision in the chest or breastbone area once the heart and lungs are working well enough on their own.
This code describes a procedure where a physician removes central cannula(e) used for ECMO or ECLS through an open sternotomy or thoracotomy in a child from birth through five years of age.The cannula(e) are typically placed in the right jugular vein and advanced to the heart's right atrium. This procedure is performed when the patient's heart and/or lung function has recovered sufficiently to no longer require ECMO/ECLS support.
Example 1: A newborn with severe respiratory distress syndrome requires ECMO. After several days of support, their lungs recover enough to function independently, and the cannula(e) are removed via sternotomy., A 3-year-old child undergoes heart surgery and requires ECLS post-operatively. Once their heart function stabilizes, the cannula(e) are removed via thoracotomy., A 1-year-old infant with congenital heart disease requires ECMO. After successful surgical repair, the infant is weaned off ECMO, and the cannula(e) are removed.
Documentation should include the reason for ECMO/ECLS, the insertion and removal procedures, daily management of the ECMO/ECLS circuit, patient's response to treatment, and the decision to discontinue support. Operative reports, progress notes, and imaging studies should be included.
- Specialties:Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery, Thoracic Surgery
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital