2025 CPT code 32484
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Surgery - Surgical Procedures on the Respiratory System Surgery Feed
Removal of a lung segment, excluding a whole lung (pneumonectomy) or lobe (lobectomy).
Modifiers may be applicable depending on the circumstances of the procedure.For example, modifier 59 (distinct procedural service) might be used if a segmentectomy is performed in addition to another procedure on a different lobe or lung. Modifier 22 (increased procedural services) may be applied if significant additional work is involved.
Medical necessity is established by the presence of a clinically significant lesion or condition in the lung that requires surgical resection to improve function or address the underlying pathology (e.g., lung cancer, bullae, cysts).This needs to be supported by appropriate imaging and clinical findings.
The surgeon is responsible for the entire procedure, from pre-operative preparation and anesthesia to the incision, lung segment identification, excision, hemostasis (control of bleeding), drainage, and closure.Postoperative care may be shared with other healthcare professionals.
In simple words: The doctor removes a part of the lung that's smaller than a lobe but bigger than a small wedge. This involves cutting into the chest, finding the specific lung section, cutting it out, and closing the cut.This might be done for early cancer.
Segmentectomy, the surgical removal of a lung segment smaller than a lobe, but larger than in a wedge resection.This procedure involves a thoracotomy (chest incision), possibly utilizing rib spreaders for better access to the lung. The segment's main bronchial vessels and tubes are clamped, ligated (tied), and severed. The segment is then excised and removed through the incision. A chest tube may be placed for drainage. The incision is closed with sutures. This is often chosen for early-stage cancers.
Example 1: A 60-year-old male presents with a solitary nodule in the right lung's superior segment.A segmentectomy is performed to resect the nodule, with pathology confirming a stage IA non-small cell lung cancer. Post-operative recovery is uneventful., A 72-year-old female with known chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) develops a large bulla in the lingula of the left lung.A segmentectomy is undertaken to remove the bulla and improve respiratory function.The patient experiences some post-operative complications, including an infection requiring antibiotic therapy., A 45-year-old male presents with symptoms suggestive of lung cancer.A CT scan reveals a suspicious lesion in the right middle lobe.A diagnostic wedge resection is performed, but frozen section pathology indicates that a more extensive segmentectomy is required to achieve adequate margins. The segmentectomy is completed, and the patient undergoes postoperative monitoring.
Preoperative imaging (CT scan, MRI), operative report detailing the technique, pathology report confirming the nature and extent of the resected tissue, and postoperative recovery notes.Additional documentation might include pre-op and post-op pulmonary function tests.
** Accurate coding requires precise documentation of the extent of the resection and any associated procedures.Intraoperative consultation may influence the choice of code, as a diagnostic wedge resection may be upgraded to a more extensive resection during the procedure.
- Revenue Code: P1G (MAJOR PROCEDURE - OTHER)
- Payment Status: Active
- Specialties:Thoracic Surgery, Pulmonary Surgery
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center