2025 CPT code 32556
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Surgery - Surgical Procedures on the Respiratory System Surgery Feed
Percutaneous pleural drainage with indwelling catheter placement, without imaging guidance.
Modifiers 50 (bilateral procedure) and others may be applicable depending on the circumstances of the service provided.
Medical necessity for this procedure is established when a patient presents with symptomatic pleural effusion requiring drainage to improve respiratory function and alleviate discomfort.
The physician's responsibility includes prepping the patient, injecting local anesthetic, making the incision, inserting and securing the catheter, connecting it to drainage, and dressing the puncture site.
In simple words: A small tube is inserted into the chest through a tiny cut to drain fluid, without the use of special imaging.
This CPT code 32556 describes the percutaneous placement of an indwelling catheter into the pleural space for drainage purposes.The procedure is performed without the use of imaging guidance.It involves making a small incision, inserting the catheter, securing it in place, and connecting it to a drainage system. The puncture site is then dressed.
Example 1: A patient presents with a large pleural effusion causing respiratory distress. The physician performs a percutaneous pleural drainage with catheter placement without imaging guidance to relieve the pressure and improve breathing., A patient has a persistent pleural effusion following a lung infection.A small percutaneous catheter is placed for drainage to prevent re-accumulation of fluid., A patient experiences post-operative pleural effusion after thoracic surgery. A percutaneous drainage catheter is inserted to remove the fluid without the need for imaging guidance.
Complete documentation should include the indication for the procedure, the location of the catheter placement, the amount and type of fluid drained, any complications, and post-procedure assessment.
** Always ensure proper documentation to support medical necessity and accurate coding.This procedure is relatively simple and is often performed at the bedside in various healthcare settings.
- Revenue Code: P6C (MINOR PROCEDURES - OTHER)
- RVU: This information was not provided in the source.Consult the appropriate fee schedule for current RVU values.
- Global Days: This information was not available in the source. Further research may be needed to determine the global period.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: This information was not available in the source.Further research may be required to determine modifier TC applicability.
- Fee Schedule: This information was not provided. Consult appropriate fee schedules for historical data.
- Specialties:Pulmonology, Thoracic Surgery
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center