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2025 CPT code 31661

Bronchoscopy with bronchial thermoplasty on two or more lung lobes.

Proper lobe counting is critical for accurate code selection. If treatment is performed across multiple sessions, each session must be coded according to the number of lobes treated in that specific session.31661 is a standalone code and should not be reported with 31660 for the same session.

Modifiers may be applicable depending on the circumstances. Review the official CPT manual and NCCI edits for detailed guidance.

Medical necessity is established by documentation demonstrating severe, persistent asthma unresponsive to maximal medical therapy (inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting bronchodilators, and possibly oral corticosteroids), along with clinical justification for the procedure, including the expected benefit and risks.

The clinical team is responsible for patient preparation, anesthesia administration, bronchoscopy insertion and manipulation, radiofrequency catheter placement, and energy delivery to target airway tissues.Post-procedural monitoring and care are also included in the physician’s responsibilities.

IMPORTANT:31660 (bronchial thermoplasty, 1 lobe)

In simple words: This medical procedure uses a thin tube with a camera (bronchoscope) to see inside the lungs. A special catheter then delivers heat energy to parts of the lung's airways to help reduce asthma symptoms in patients with severe asthma that hasn't responded to other treatments.

This CPT code encompasses a bronchoscopic procedure involving the introduction of a radiofrequency catheter into the bronchus to treat airway muscles using radiofrequency energy.The procedure is performed under bronchoscopic visualization, utilizing either a rigid or flexible bronchoscope (with fluoroscopic guidance included), targeting two or more lobes of the lungs within a single session.The procedure is indicated for patients with severe asthma unresponsive to conventional treatments.

Example 1: A 45-year-old female patient with severe, persistent asthma despite maximal medical therapy undergoes bronchial thermoplasty.The procedure involves treatment of the right upper, middle, and lower lobes. Code 31661 is used to report the service., A 60-year-old male patient with a history of severe asthma exacerbations requiring frequent hospitalizations is scheduled for bronchial thermoplasty.The procedure is performed on the left lung’s upper and lower lobes. 31661 is the appropriate code., A 38-year-old patient with poorly controlled asthma, despite multiple medication adjustments, requires bronchial thermoplasty.This procedure includes treatment of the right upper and lower lobes, and the left upper lobe. 31661 is utilized for this scenario.

Comprehensive medical history detailing asthma severity and treatment failure, pre-procedure assessment of pulmonary function,detailed procedural report including number of lobes treated, radiofrequency parameters used, and post-procedure pulmonary function assessment.

** Prior authorization may be required by some payers. Confirm payer-specific coverage policies before the procedure.

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