2025 CPT code 49083
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Surgery - Surgical Procedures on the Digestive System Surgery Feed
Abdominal paracentesis (diagnostic or therapeutic) with imaging guidance.
Modifiers may be applicable depending on the circumstances of the procedure. For example, modifier 51 (multiple procedures) could be used if more than one procedure was performed during the same session.Consult the CPT codebook and your payer's guidelines for specific modifier usage rules.
Medical necessity for abdominal paracentesis is established by the presence of significant symptoms related to fluid buildup in the abdomen (e.g., pain, shortness of breath, abdominal distension) and the need for diagnostic evaluation or therapeutic relief.
The physician or qualified healthcare professional is responsible for preparing the patient (including anesthesia), making the incision, inserting the needle and catheter under imaging guidance, draining the fluid, removing the catheter, checking for bleeding, and closing the incision.
In simple words: This procedure involves removing excess fluid from the belly using a needle guided by imaging (like ultrasound).The fluid is removed to relieve pressure or pain, or to be tested in a lab.
Abdominal paracentesis, diagnostic or therapeutic, is a procedure where a needle is inserted into the abdominal cavity to remove fluid.This specific code, 49083, indicates that imaging guidance (such as ultrasound or fluoroscopy) is used to visualize internal structures during the procedure. The fluid may be removed for diagnostic purposes (analysis) or therapeutic purposes (to relieve pressure and pain caused by fluid buildup).
Example 1: A patient presents with ascites (fluid buildup in the abdomen) causing significant abdominal discomfort.Abdominal paracentesis with ultrasound guidance is performed to relieve the pressure and pain., A patient with suspected malignancy undergoes an abdominal paracentesis with CT guidance to obtain a fluid sample for cytological analysis., A patient with a history of cirrhosis and portal hypertension develops abdominal distension.A therapeutic abdominal paracentesis with fluoroscopic guidance is performed to remove a large volume of ascitic fluid.
* Pre-procedure patient assessment including vital signs, relevant medical history, and physical examination findings.* Indication for the procedure (e.g., diagnostic or therapeutic).* Imaging reports (ultrasound, CT, or fluoroscopy) showing the fluid collection and the needle placement.* Volume of fluid removed.* Description of any complications encountered.* Post-procedure patient assessment, including vital signs and any adverse events.* Pathology report (if applicable).
** The provided information is limited.Always refer to the most current CPT manual and payer guidelines for definitive coding instructions.
- Revenue Code: P1G (MAJOR PROCEDURE - OTHER)
- RVU: This information is not available in the provided text.Consult the current CPT codebook or a relevant fee schedule for RVU values.
- Global Days: This information is not provided in the source. The global period for this procedure would need to be determined based on local payer guidelines and may vary depending on the specific circumstances of the procedure.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: This information is not provided in the source.Modifier TC (Technical Component) applicability for this code would need to be determined based on payer-specific guidelines.
- Fee Schedule: Historical fee schedule data is not available in the provided text. Consult historical CPT codebooks or fee schedules for this information.
- Specialties:Gastroenterology, Surgery, Oncology
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center