2025 CPT code 50327
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Surgery - Renal Transplantation Procedures Surgery Feed
Backbench venous anastomosis during cadaver or living donor renal allograft reconstruction before transplantation.
Modifiers may be applicable depending on the circumstances. For example, modifier -51 (multiple procedures) can be used if multiple venous anastomoses are performed, or if this procedure is performed in conjunction with other backbench reconstruction codes (50328, 50329).
Medical necessity is established by the need for renal transplantation and the identified defect in the donor renal vein requiring reconstruction to ensure the graft's viability and successful transplantation.
The surgical team, typically a urologist or transplant surgeon, is responsible for performing the backbench venous reconstruction.
In simple words: The doctor prepares a kidney from a deceased or living donor for a transplant.This involves repairing or extending a vein in the kidney to ensure a successful transplant. The code is used for each vein repair done.
This CPT code, 50327, describes the backbench reconstruction of a cadaver or living donor renal allograft prior to transplantation, specifically focusing on each venous anastomosis performed.The procedure involves extending the renal vein using a graft, often from the vena cava or iliac vein, and attaching it to the renal vein using sutures, potentially incorporating a vein patch.This is a component of the pre-transplant preparation of the kidney for transplantation and should be reported separately for each venous anastomosis.
Example 1: A deceased donor kidney is harvested.The renal vein is short, requiring extension. The surgeon performs a venous anastomosis using a segment of the donor's iliac vein. Code 50327 is reported once for this anastomosis., A living donor kidney has a damaged renal vein. The surgeon performs a venous anastomosis using a patch. Code 50327 is reported once for this patch repair., During preparation of a living-donor kidney, two separate venous anastomoses are necessary to extend and reconstruct the renal vein.Code 50327 is reported twice, once for each anastomosis.
Operative report detailing the venous reconstruction, including type of graft used (e.g., segment of vena cava, iliac vein), specific technique, and number of anastomoses performed.Imaging (e.g., intraoperative angiography) may be necessary to document the repair.
** Accurate reporting requires detailed documentation specifying the number of venous anastomoses performed.Preoperative and postoperative imaging may be helpful for clarity.