2025 CPT code 34713
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Surgery - Cardiovascular System Feed
Percutaneous access and closure of the femoral artery for delivery of an endograft through a large sheath (12 French or larger), including ultrasound guidance, when performed, unilateral.
Modifiers may be applicable. Modifier 50 is used for bilateral procedures. Other modifiers may be necessary depending on the specific circumstances.
Medical necessity for 34713 is established by the need for endovascular repair using a large sheath (12 French or larger) due to the specific characteristics of the vascular pathology and chosen endograft.
The physician performs percutaneous access and closure of the femoral artery during a primary endovascular repair procedure. This involves making a small incision, puncturing the artery (usually with ultrasound guidance), inserting a large sheath for endograft delivery, removing the sheath after the endograft is in place, and closing the incisions with sutures.
In simple words: During a minimally invasive vascular procedure, the doctor makes a small cut in the groin to access the main artery in the leg.A special tube (larger than normal) is inserted to help place a fabric-covered stent-like graft inside the artery to repair it.Ultrasound is often used to guide this process. The cut is then closed. This is done on one side at a time and is billed separately from the main repair procedure.
This code describes a procedure where the physician makes a small incision in the skin and femoral artery, typically using ultrasound guidance, to insert a large sheath (12 French or larger). This sheath facilitates the delivery of an endovascular prosthesis (endograft) for repairing the artery. Following endograft placement, the physician closes the artery and skin incisions. This is a unilateral procedure and should be reported in addition to the primary endovascular repair procedure.Use of a sheath smaller than 12 French is bundled into the primary procedure codes (34701-34712, 34841-34848, etc.) and is not reported separately. This code is reported once per side, and twice for bilateral procedures using modifier 50. Do not report modifier 50 with 34713.
Example 1: A patient presents with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Endovascular repair is chosen, and a large sheath (12 French) is required for delivery of the endograft via the femoral artery. Code 34713 is reported in addition to the primary repair code., A patient with a ruptured iliac artery aneurysm undergoes endovascular repair. A 14 French sheath is inserted through the femoral artery for endograft placement. Code 34713 is reported along with the appropriate ruptured aneurysm repair code., A patient has a pseudoaneurysm of the abdominal aorta requiring endovascular repair. A 12 French sheath is used for access. Code 34713 is reported in addition to the primary repair code, and reported once for each side if bilateral femoral access is performed.
Documentation should include details of the primary endovascular repair procedure, the size of the sheath used for femoral artery access (12 French or larger), use of ultrasound guidance, and laterality (left, right, or bilateral).
** Code 34713 includes ultrasound guidance. Separate coding for ultrasound guidance is not necessary.
- Revenue Code: P1G - Major Procedure - Other
- Payment Status: Active
- Specialties:Vascular Surgery, Interventional Radiology, Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center