2025 CPT code 93355
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Cardiovascular - Echocardiography Procedures Cardiovascular Procedures Feed
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for guidance during transcatheter intracardiac or great vessel structural interventions; real-time image acquisition, guidance with measurements, probe manipulation, interpretation, and report.
Modifiers may be applicable depending on the specific circumstances of the service. Consult the CPT manual for appropriate modifier usage.
Medical necessity is established by the need for real-time echocardiographic guidance during a complex transcatheter structural heart procedure to ensure safe and effective device placement.
The echocardiographer's role involves real-time guidance of device placement during the intervention, assessing the immediate outcome, identifying complications, and assisting in their resolution.
In simple words: The doctor uses an ultrasound probe inserted through a tube into the esophagus to take pictures of the heart and guide a procedure inside the heart. This helps them fix problems like damaged heart valves.
This code reports transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) services provided during transcatheter intracardiac therapies.It includes probe insertion (if performed by the TEE provider), diagnostic TEE, transducer manipulation to guide implant sizing/placement, assessment of intervention adequacy, and complication evaluation. Real-time image acquisition, measurements, interpretation, documentation of intervention completion, and a final written report are all encompassed.The code is reported once per intervention and only by the individual not performing the interventional procedure. Services such as Doppler, color flow, 3D imaging, and contrast administration are included and should not be separately reported.
Example 1: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR):The echocardiographer uses TEE to guide catheter placement, valve deployment, and assessment of valve function and placement., Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC):TEE guides the catheter to the left atrial appendage, confirming device placement and excluding complications such as perforation., Mitral valve repair:TEE provides real-time imaging to guide the repair procedure, ensuring proper placement of the device and assessing the effectiveness of the repair.
Detailed documentation should include images, measurements, and interpretations reflecting the pre-procedural, intra-procedural, and post-procedural TEE guidance.The report should describe anatomical structures, dynamics, and function.
** This code does not include the separate reporting of probe insertion by another physician (93313).Contrast, Doppler, color flow, and 3D imaging are included in this code; separate reporting is not necessary.
- RVU: The physician relative value unit (RVU) for CPT 93355 is higher than for standard diagnostic TEE, reflecting the increased time and expertise involved.
- Global Days: This code does not include services provided during a global surgical period.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: A technical component (TC) modifier is not typically applicable to this code as it represents the professional component of the service.
- Fee Schedule: Refer to historical fee schedules from payers for reimbursement information.RVUs can be used in conjunction with payer-specific conversion factors to determine payment.
- Specialties:Cardiology, Cardiovascular Surgery
- Place of Service:Ambulatory Surgical Center, Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital