2025 CPT code 34716
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Surgery - Cardiovascular System Feed
Open axillary/subclavian artery exposure with creation of a conduit for delivery of an endovascular prosthesis or for establishment of cardiopulmonary bypass, by infraclavicular or supraclavicular incision, unilateral.
Modifiers may be applicable. Modifier 50 (Bilateral Procedure) should be used if the procedure is performed on both sides.
Medical necessity for this procedure is determined by the clinical situation and the requirements of the primary endovascular repair or cardiac procedure. Factors influencing medical necessity might include patient anatomy, the location and nature of the vascular issue, and the specific requirements of the endovascular device being used.
The surgeon performs the open axillary/subclavian artery exposure.This includes making the incision, dissecting the necessary tissues, creating the conduit in the artery, and closing the incision after the endovascular prosthesis is placed or cardiopulmonary bypass is established.
In simple words: The doctor makes an incision near the collarbone to access the axillary or subclavian artery.They then create a small tunnel in the artery to insert a tube graft or to set up a heart-lung bypass machine.This procedure is usually part of a larger blood vessel repair operation.
This code describes a procedure where the physician makes an open incision in the axillary or subclavian artery area to create a pathway for the insertion of an endovascular prosthesis (a type of graft placed inside a blood vessel) or to establish cardiopulmonary bypass. This is typically done during a more complex endovascular repair procedure and is reported in addition to the primary procedure code.
Example 1: A patient requires an endovascular repair of a thoracic aortic aneurysm and due to anatomical considerations, the surgeon needs to access the subclavian artery to deliver the endovascular prosthesis. Code 34716 would be reported in addition to the primary procedure code for the aneurysm repair., During a complex cardiac procedure requiring cardiopulmonary bypass, the surgeon determines that the best access point for establishing bypass is through the axillary artery. The surgeon performs an open axillary artery exposure and creates the conduit. Code 34716 would be reported in addition to the primary cardiac procedure codes., A patient presents with a subclavian artery injury. The surgeon needs to access the artery to repair the damage.In this case, an open exposure of the artery might be necessary. The procedure performed would be reported with 34716 alongside the appropriate repair code.
Documentation should support the medical necessity of the open axillary/subclavian artery exposure, including the reason why percutaneous access was not feasible or appropriate.The operative report should detail the incision location (infraclavicular or supraclavicular), the artery exposed (axillary or subclavian), the creation of the conduit, the placement of the endovascular prosthesis (if applicable), and the closure of the incision.
** Code 34716 is used only when an open exposure is required for the delivery of the endovascular prosthesis or establishment of cardiopulmonary bypass through the axillary or subclavian artery. Percutaneous access using a smaller sheath is included in other endovascular repair codes and is not separately reported.
- Revenue Code: P2F (MAJOR PROCEDURE, CARDIOVASCULAR - OTHER)
- Payment Status: Active
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center