2025 CPT code 32606
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Surgical Procedures on the Respiratory System - Thoracoscopy Surgery Feed
Diagnostic thoracoscopy (separate procedure); mediastinal space, with biopsy.
Modifiers may be applicable depending on the circumstances, such as modifier 59 for a distinct procedural service or other appropriate modifiers for anesthesia, assistant surgeon, etc. Consult current modifier guidelines.
Medical necessity for this procedure would be established by the presence of a suspicious mediastinal lesion detected on imaging studies or during other procedures, requiring tissue confirmation through biopsy to guide diagnosis and treatment.This is clinically indicated when non-invasive diagnostic methods are inconclusive.
The physician's responsibilities include pre-operative assessment and planning, performing the thoracoscopy procedure (including incision, insertion of instruments, biopsy sample collection, and closure), interpretation of intraoperative findings, and post-operative care instructions.
In simple words: The doctor uses a thin, tube-like instrument with a camera and light to look inside the chest and take a small tissue sample from the mediastinum (the area between the lungs) to test for disease.They may also put in a chest tube to help the lungs re-expand and drain any fluid or air.
This CPT code encompasses a diagnostic thoracoscopy performed as a separate procedure, specifically targeting the mediastinal space to obtain tissue samples (biopsies) for pathological evaluation.The procedure involves inserting a thoracoscope, a thin, flexible tube with a light and a camera, through a small incision to visualize the mediastinum. Biopsy samples are collected using instruments passed through additional incisions. Chest tubes may be placed for drainage and lung re-expansion. The incisions are subsequently closed.
Example 1: A patient presents with a mediastinal mass detected on imaging.A diagnostic thoracoscopy with mediastinal biopsy is performed to obtain tissue for pathological analysis to determine the nature of the mass (benign or malignant)., A patient with suspected lymphoma undergoes a diagnostic thoracoscopy with mediastinal lymph node biopsy to evaluate the extent of disease involvement. The results guide subsequent treatment decisions., During a routine thoracoscopy for another indication, an incidental mediastinal abnormality is observed. The surgeon performs a biopsy of this area under the same procedure for pathological examination.
** The provided information is based on publicly available data.Always refer to the most current CPT codebook and payer-specific guidelines for accurate billing and coding.
- Revenue Code: P8I (ENDOSCOPY - OTHER)
- RVU: This information requires access to current fee schedules and may vary based on payer and location.Consult relevant fee schedules for RVU information.
- Global Days: The global surgical period for this procedure is not specified in the provided data.Additional reference materials are needed to determine the appropriate global days.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: The Technical Component (TC) modifier may not be applicable in all cases, depending on who performs the procedure. Consult your payer's specific guidelines for this particular code.
- Fee Schedule: Fee schedule data is unavailable, please consult a payer-specific fee schedule or pricing database.
- Specialties:Thoracic Surgery, Pulmonary Medicine, Oncology
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center