2025 CPT code 44203
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Deletion Date: N/A Surgery - Surgical Procedures on the Digestive System Surgery Feed
Laparoscopic small intestine resection and anastomosis; each additional.
Modifiers 51 (multiple procedures), 58 (staged procedure), 78 (unplanned return to OR), and 79 (unrelated procedure) may be applicable depending on the circumstances. Refer to the CPT manual for the appropriate use of these and other modifiers.
Medical necessity for additional small bowel resection must be clearly documented in the operative report, and should be related to the primary reason for the initial surgery (e.g., tumor extension, bowel necrosis, complications).
The surgeon is responsible for performing the additional laparoscopic small bowel resection and anastomosis, ensuring hemostasis, and closing the abdominal incisions.
In simple words: This code describes extra surgery on the small intestine done during the same operation as the initial surgery.The surgeon removes another part of the small intestine and then reconnects it using a laparoscope (a thin tube with a camera for minimally invasive surgery). This is only used if there was an initial resection.
This CPT code, 44203, represents each additional laparoscopic small bowel resection and anastomosis performed during the same operative session as an initial small bowel resection and anastomosis.It involves the resection of an additional segment of the small intestine and the subsequent re-anastomosis (reconnection) of the bowel ends using laparoscopic techniques. The types of anastomosis may include end-to-end, end-to-side, or side-to-side, depending on the surgical requirements. Hemostasis (control of bleeding) is meticulously maintained throughout the procedure, and the abdominal incision is closed in layers.This code is an add-on code and should only be reported in addition to a primary procedure code (such as 44202) representing the initial resection and anastomosis.
Example 1: A patient undergoes a laparoscopic small bowel resection for Crohn's disease. During the procedure, additional areas of diseased bowel are identified requiring resection and anastomosis. Code 44203 is added to the initial resection and anastomosis code (44202)., A patient presents with a bowel obstruction due to a volvulus.Laparoscopic exploration reveals multiple areas of necrotic bowel requiring resection.The initial resection is coded using 44202 and subsequent resections are coded as 44203., A patient undergoes laparoscopic resection of a small bowel tumor. Intraoperatively, additional small bowel resection is required because of unexpected adhesions and compromised bowel viability. The initial resection is coded using 44202 and 44203 is added for the additional resection and anastomosis.
Operative report detailing the necessity for the additional resection, the location and length of the resected bowel, description of the anastomosis, and the overall approach used.Intraoperative photos, if available, are helpful.
** Always ensure the primary procedure code is correctly selected before adding 44203. This code should only be used if additional resection and anastomosis is performed during the same operative session as the initial procedure.The number of times 44203 is reported corresponds to the number of additional resections performed.
- Revenue Code: P5E (AMBULATORY PROCEDURES - OTHER)
- RVU: Information not available in provided data.
- Global Days: Information not available in provided data.Further clarification is needed from official CPT guidelines or payment policies.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: This code is not typically associated with a technical component (TC) modifier.
- Fee Schedule: Information not provided. Consult a fee schedule database for historical fee information.
- Specialties:General Surgery
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center, Hospital Outpatient