2025 CPT code 50329
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Surgery - Urinary System Surgery Feed
Backbench reconstruction of cadaver or living donor renal allograft prior to transplantation; ureteral anastomosis, each.
Modifier 51 can be applied for multiple anastomoses. Modifier 22 may be applicable in unusually complex cases with extensive additional work, requiring thorough documentation.
Medical necessity for 50329 is established when a ureteral anastomosis is required to facilitate successful renal transplantation due to anatomical variations, injuries, or prior surgeries affecting the donor or recipient ureter.
The surgeon is responsible for performing the ureteral anastomosis on the backbench prior to transplantation.This includes carefully dissecting the ureter, preparing it for connection, and creating the anastomosis with sutures or other surgical techniques to ensure a leak-proof connection. The surgeon must ensure the proper blood supply to the ureter is maintained during the procedure.
In simple words: Before a kidney transplant, the surgeon sometimes needs to connect the tube that carries urine from the donor kidney (the ureter) to the recipient's urinary system. This procedure, called ureteral anastomosis, is done outside the body before the kidney is implanted.It’s like plumbing work to ensure urine can flow properly from the new kidney.
This code describes the surgical procedure of connecting a donor ureter to a recipient ureter or another part of the urinary tract during a kidney transplant.It's performed ex vivo, meaning outside the body, on a "backbench" before the kidney is implanted into the recipient.This procedure is done when there is a need to reconstruct the ureter, such as in cases of ureteral anomalies or injuries.
Example 1: A living donor has a double ureter, requiring two separate ureteral anastomoses to be performed on the backbench (50329 x 2) before transplantation to the recipient., During backbench preparation of a cadaveric kidney, the surgeon discovers damage to the donor ureter.The damaged portion is removed, and a ureteral anastomosis (50329) is performed to reconstruct the ureter before implanting the kidney., A recipient has a prior history of ureteral surgery, making a standard ureteral implant challenging.The surgeon performs a ureteral anastomosis (50329) on the backbench to facilitate a successful transplant.
Documentation should include the reason for the ureteral anastomosis, the technique used, the length of ureter involved, any complications encountered, and the final result of the anastomosis. Operative reports should detail the specifics of the backbench work.
** It is crucial to accurately document the complexity of the backbench procedure to support the use of any modifiers.
- Revenue Code: P1G - Major Procedure - Other
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: Not applicable
- Specialties:Urology, Transplant Surgery
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center