2025 CPT code 33880
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Surgery - Surgical Procedures on the Cardiovascular System Surgery Feed
Endovascular repair of the descending thoracic aorta, including coverage of the left subclavian artery origin; initial endoprosthesis plus extensions if needed.
Modifiers may be applicable based on the specific circumstances of the procedure.Refer to CPT guidelines for appropriate modifier usage. Modifiers 51 (multiple procedures), 59 (distinct procedural service), and others may be needed.
Medical necessity is established by the presence of a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm, dissection, or other pathology requiring repair, and the patient's clinical condition must warrant the procedure.The size and location of the aneurysm, the patient's overall health, and other anatomical factors are considered in the determination of medical necessity. Specific guidelines for medical necessity should be reviewed based on the payer.
The physician's responsibility includes pre-procedural planning, arteriogram for road mapping, imaging and contrast injections as needed, preparing and loading the endovascular component, guiding the component under fluoroscopy, deploying the component, inflating a balloon to seat the component (if necessary), removing catheters and wires, and closing the access site.The physician may also perform additional procedures before or after the primary endovascular repair. The physician is responsible for interpreting the fluoroscopic and angiographic images during the procedure.
In simple words: This code covers a minimally invasive surgery to repair a weakened or damaged area in the large artery (aorta) in the chest.A special tube-like device is inserted to reinforce the artery and prevent rupture.This specific code includes the repair of a specific branch of the aorta.
This CPT code 33880 represents the endovascular repair of a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm, pseudoaneurysm, dissection, penetrating ulcer, intramural hematoma, or traumatic disruption.The procedure involves the placement of an endoprosthesis that covers the left subclavian artery origin and extends, as needed, to the level of the celiac artery origin.All necessary distal extensions are included in the primary code. Proximal extensions are separately reportable.The procedure includes all device introduction, manipulation, positioning, and deployment. Balloon angioplasty and/or stent deployment within the treatment zone are not separately reportable.Fluoroscopic guidance is implied but coded separately (75956-75959).
Example 1: A 65-year-old male presents with a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm (6.5 cm) involving the left subclavian artery origin.The patient is a candidate for TEVAR. The procedure is performed using fluoroscopic guidance and includes placement of an endoprosthesis and distal extension. The physician documents the procedural steps, images, and patient outcomes., A 72-year-old female with a history of hypertension presents with a descending thoracic aortic dissection extending to the left subclavian artery origin.TEVAR is performed to repair the dissection and stabilize the aorta.This involves use of an endograft and multiple distal extensions.Post-procedure imaging is used to document the successful exclusion of the dissection., A 58-year-old male sustains a traumatic aortic injury during a motor vehicle accident.The patient undergoes emergency TEVAR to repair the traumatic aortic disruption and stabilize the left subclavian artery.The procedure is performed under fluoroscopic guidance. The post-operative management involves monitoring of the patient's cardiovascular status and pain management.
Pre-operative imaging (CT angiogram), patient history, physical examination findings, intra-operative imaging (fluoroscopy, angiography), details of the endoprosthesis used (manufacturer, model, size), placement of the endoprosthesis and extensions, post-operative imaging (CT angiogram), and documentation of any complications or adverse events.
** Thorough documentation is essential for proper reimbursement.Pay close attention to the inclusion of any additional procedures that might require separate billing codes.
- Revenue Code: P1G (MAJOR PROCEDURE - OTHER)
- RVU: Information not available in provided sources.Refer to CMS guidelines for current RVU values.
- Global Days: Information not available in provided sources.Refer to CPT guidelines or payer-specific rules for global period information.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: TC modifiers do not typically apply to this code, as it describes the complete procedure.
- Fee Schedule: Information not available in the provided sources. Consult historical fee schedules for details.
- Specialties:Cardiovascular Surgery, Interventional Radiology
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, On Campus-Outpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center