2025 CPT code 44715
Effective Date: N/A Surgery - Surgical Procedures on the Digestive System Surgery Feed
Backbench standard preparation of cadaver or living donor intestine allograft prior to transplantation, including mobilization and fashioning of the superior mesenteric artery and vein.
Modifiers may be applicable to this code depending on the specific circumstances of the procedure. For example, modifier 52 may be used if the service is reduced for some reason.
Medical necessity for this code is established by the need for intestinal transplantation due to conditions such as short bowel syndrome, intestinal failure, or other conditions requiring replacement of the small intestine. Documentation should support the medical necessity of the transplant itself.
The physician is responsible for examining and preparing the donor intestine allograft, removing extraneous tissue, and preparing the superior mesenteric artery and vein for anastomosis. This procedure is typically performed on a separate sterile surface (backbench) in the operating room before the transplantation.
In simple words: The surgeon prepares a donated section of small intestine for transplant. This includes carefully cleaning and preparing the main artery and vein that supply blood to the intestine so they can be connected to the recipient's blood vessels during the transplant surgery.
The provider examines and prepares a previously harvested small intestine graft. This involves preparing the superior mesenteric artery and vein for anastomosis (surgical connection).The donor intestine is received in a preservative solution. The provider inspects the graft, removes extraneous tissue (such as the duodenum and head of the pancreas), and carefully prepares the superior mesenteric artery and vein for connection to the recipient's blood vessels.
Example 1: A patient requires a small intestine transplant due to short bowel syndrome. The donor intestine is prepared on the backbench, including preparation of the superior mesenteric artery and vein, before being transplanted into the recipient., A patient with intestinal failure requires a multivisceral transplant, including the small intestine.The donor small intestine is prepared on the backbench, including preparing the superior mesenteric artery and vein, for implantation., A living donor donates a segment of their small intestine to a relative.The harvested intestine is prepared on the backbench, including preparing the vessels for anastomosis, before transplantation into the recipient.
Documentation should include the source of the allograft (cadaver or living donor), details of the backbench preparation including the specific vessels prepared, and any complications encountered during the procedure.
- Specialties:Transplant Surgery, General Surgery
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center