2025 CPT code 37605
Effective Date: N/A Surgery - Surgical Procedures on the Cardiovascular System Feed
Ligation of the internal or common carotid artery.
Medical necessity for ligation of the carotid artery is established by documenting a life-threatening condition such as an aneurysm at risk of rupture, uncontrollable bleeding from trauma, or iatrogenic injury during a surgical procedure. The documentation should clearly demonstrate that less invasive procedures are not feasible or safe.
The surgeon makes an incision in the neck, dissects through the muscles, and isolates the carotid artery. The artery is then tied off with suture or a clip. Following this, the surgeon closes the incision in layers.
In simple words: The surgeon makes a cut in your neck to reach the main artery that supplies blood to your brain. This artery is then tied off using stitches or a small clip. This is often done to fix a weakened area in the artery wall (aneurysm).
This procedure involves making an incision in the neck to access either the internal or common carotid artery. The artery is then ligated using sutures or a clip. This procedure is often performed to treat a carotid artery aneurysm.
Example 1: A patient presents with a large aneurysm of the common carotid artery. To prevent rupture, the surgeon ligates the artery., A patient has suffered a penetrating neck injury, resulting in severe damage to the internal carotid artery. To control bleeding, the artery is ligated., During a neck dissection for cancer, the internal carotid artery is inadvertently injured. The surgeon ligates the artery to control the bleeding.
Documentation should include the indication for the ligation (e.g., aneurysm, trauma, iatrogenic injury), the specific artery ligated (internal or common carotid), the method of ligation (suture or clip), and any intraoperative complications.
- Specialties:Vascular Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Neurosurgery, General Surgery
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center