In simple words: The doctor prepares a piece of intestine from a donor (either deceased or living) for a transplant. This involves carefully checking the intestine, removing unnecessary parts, and preparing the veins to connect it to the patient's veins during the transplant surgery.

This CPT code encompasses the backbench preparation of an intestinal allograft harvested from a cadaver or living donor before transplantation.The procedure involves meticulous examination of the graft, removal of extraneous tissues such as the duodenum and pancreatic head, identification of duplicate veins, venotomy (incision into a vein), and anastomosis (surgical connection) of the duplicate vein to the primary vein using sutures, ultimately creating a single vein suitable for anastomosis to the recipient's vein.

Example 1: A patient requires a small bowel transplant due to Crohn's disease. A suitable donor intestine is harvested. The surgeon performs code 44720 to prepare the donor intestine for transplantation., A patient needs an intestinal transplant after a severe traumatic injury. The surgeon prepares the donor intestine using 44720, focusing on precise venous preparation for optimal anastomosis., A deceased donor's intestine is procured.Before transplantation, the surgical team utilizes code 44720 to ensure the graft is free from extraneous tissue and the venous system is optimally prepared.

Detailed operative notes describing the graft assessment, tissue removal, venotomy, and venous anastomosis techniques.Images or videos of the procedure may be helpful. Donor information, including the organ procurement process and preservation method, should be well documented.

** This code is specifically for venous anastomosis.Arterial anastomosis is coded separately (44721).The complexity of the preparation may affect the time and resources required, which may be reflected in the reimbursement.