2025 CPT code 00542
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Anesthesia - Anesthesia for Intrathoracic Procedures Anesthesia Feed
Anesthesia services for thoracotomy procedures involving the lungs, pleura, diaphragm, and mediastinum, including surgical thoracoscopy and decortication.
Modifiers may apply based on specific circumstances.Examples include modifiers to indicate the type of anesthesia provided, the use of unusual monitoring techniques, and the involvement of other providers.Consult the CPT manual and payer guidelines for specific modifier usage rules.
Anesthesia is medically necessary for thoracotomy procedures to ensure patient safety and comfort during often complex and invasive surgical procedures.The necessity is established by the need for the surgical procedure itself, which would typically be documented in the patient's chart.
The anesthesiologist or qualified anesthesia provider is responsible for pre-operative evaluation, induction and maintenance of anesthesia, monitoring the patient's vital signs and administering medications, managing any complications that may arise, and overseeing the patient's transfer to post-anesthesia care.
In simple words: This code covers the doctor's services in giving and monitoring anesthesia during a chest surgery that may involve the lungs.It includes care before, during, and after the surgery.
This CPT code encompasses anesthesia services rendered during thoracotomy procedures involving the lungs, pleura, diaphragm, and mediastinum.The procedures may include surgical thoracoscopy and decortication (removal of thickened lung lining).Anesthesia services include pre-operative evaluation, induction, monitoring during the procedure (including medication administration and vital signs monitoring), and post-operative care oversight until transfer to post-anesthesia care.Unusual monitoring (e.g., Swan-Ganz catheters) is separately coded.
Example 1: A 65-year-old male patient undergoes a thoracotomy with decortication for treatment of empyema. The anesthesiologist provides general anesthesia, including pre-operative evaluation, induction, intraoperative monitoring, and post-operative care., A 40-year-old female patient requires a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy for lung cancer. The anesthesiologist provides general anesthesia with one-lung ventilation (OLV) and careful monitoring during the procedure., A 72-year-old patient with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) undergoes a thoracotomy for lung volume reduction surgery. The anesthesiologist provides general anesthesia with close attention to respiratory management and potential complications.
Complete anesthesia record including pre-operative assessment, type of anesthesia administered, medications used, vital signs during the procedure, any complications encountered, and post-operative care given.Documentation of the surgical procedure should also be included.
** Accurate coding of this procedure requires careful review of the operative report to ensure the specific procedures performed and complexity of the case are correctly reflected.Consideration must be given to payer specific rules and local coverage determinations.
- Revenue Code: 00100-01999 (Anesthesia revenue codes will vary based on payer and facility)
- RVU: RVUs vary based on geographic location and other factors. Consult your local Medicare fee schedule or payer-specific information.
- Global Days: The global period for anesthesia is generally considered to be the day of service, but this may vary according to payer-specific rules.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: The technical component (TC) modifier does not apply to anesthesia codes as it is generally bundled into the service.
- Fee Schedule: Historical fee schedules vary depending on the payer and the year. Consult payer-specific fee schedules for historical data.
- Specialties:Thoracic Surgery, Anesthesiology, Pulmonary Medicine
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center