2025 CPT code 32609
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Surgical Procedures on the Respiratory System - Thoracoscopy Surgery Feed
Thoracoscopy with biopsy(ies) of the pleura.
Modifiers may be applicable depending on the circumstances of the procedure. Consult the CPT manual and local payer policies for guidance.
Medical necessity is established when there is a clinical indication for pleural biopsy, such as suspected pleural effusion, lung cancer, or mesothelioma.The procedure should be medically necessary to confirm or rule out a diagnosis or to guide treatment decisions.
The physician's responsibilities include patient preparation, anesthesia direction (if necessary), thoracoscope insertion, pleural biopsy, chest tube placement (if applicable), and wound closure. Postoperative care and monitoring are also within the physician's scope.
In simple words: The doctor uses a thin, flexible tube with a camera and light (thoracoscope) inserted through a small cut in the chest to look at the lining of the lungs and chest cavity (pleura).A small tissue sample is taken for testing.
This code represents a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) procedure involving the biopsy of the pleura.It includes the insertion of a thoracoscope to visualize the pleural space, and the use of instruments to obtain one or more tissue samples from the pleura for diagnostic examination.The procedure may involve freeing adhesions between the lung and chest wall and may include placement of a chest tube for drainage.
Example 1: A patient presents with a suspected pleural effusion. A thoracoscopy with pleural biopsy (32609) is performed to obtain tissue samples for cytological and pathological examination to determine the cause of the effusion., A patient with known lung cancer undergoes a thoracoscopy for a pleural biopsy (32609) to assess for pleural involvement of the malignancy.The biopsy results guide further treatment decisions., A patient presents with symptoms suggestive of mesothelioma.A thoracoscopy with pleural biopsy (32609) is performed to obtain diagnostic tissue samples to confirm the diagnosis.
* Preoperative diagnosis and indications for the procedure.* Detailed operative report describing the approach, location and number of biopsies, and findings.* Pathology report detailing the results of the biopsy(ies).* Anesthesia record.* Postoperative course and any complications.
** A single unit of 32609 covers multiple biopsies of the pleura taken at a single session. This code includes diagnostic thoracoscopy.
- Revenue Code: P8I (ENDOSCOPY - OTHER)
- RVU: Information not available in provided source.Refer to CMS fee schedules for current RVU values.
- Global Days: Information not available in provided source.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: Not applicable. This is not a procedure typically broken down into technical and professional components.
- Fee Schedule: Information not available in provided source.Refer to CMS fee schedules for historical fee data.
- Specialties:Pulmonology, Thoracic Surgery
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center