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Official Description

Replacement, aortic valve, open, with cardiopulmonary bypass; with allograft valve (freehand)

© Copyright 2025 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

Common Language Description

An open aortic valve replacement is a surgical procedure performed to replace a diseased or malfunctioning aortic valve with a new valve. This procedure is conducted with the assistance of cardiopulmonary bypass, which temporarily takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery, allowing the surgeon to operate on a still and bloodless field. In this specific case, the replacement involves the use of an allograft valve, which is a type of prosthetic valve obtained from a human cadaver donor. This contrasts with other types of valves, such as mechanical valves or stentless tissue valves, which are made from synthetic materials or animal tissues, respectively. The procedure typically requires a median sternotomy or upper hemisternotomy to access the heart. The surgical steps include the insertion of cannulas for blood circulation, the administration of cardioplegia to induce cardiac arrest, and the careful excision of the diseased valve. The allograft valve is then meticulously sutured into place, ensuring proper alignment and function. This procedure is critical for patients suffering from aortic stenosis or regurgitation, as it restores normal blood flow and alleviates symptoms associated with valve dysfunction.

© Copyright 2025 Coding Ahead. All rights reserved.

1. Indications

The open aortic valve replacement procedure is indicated for patients with specific conditions affecting the aortic valve. These include:

  • Aortic Stenosis - A condition where the aortic valve narrows, restricting blood flow from the heart to the body.
  • Aortic Regurgitation - A condition where the aortic valve does not close properly, allowing blood to flow backward into the heart.
  • Severe Valve Dysfunction - Any significant impairment of the aortic valve's ability to function effectively, leading to symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, or chest pain.

2. Procedure

The procedure for open aortic valve replacement with an allograft valve involves several critical steps:

  • Preparation and Anesthesia - The patient is placed under general anesthesia, and the surgical team prepares the operating room and necessary equipment for the procedure.
  • Accessing the Heart - A median sternotomy or upper hemisternotomy is performed to expose the heart. This involves making an incision along the sternum to gain access to the thoracic cavity.
  • Establishing Cardiopulmonary Bypass - A venous cannula is inserted into the right atrial appendage, and an arterial cannula is placed in the ascending aorta. This setup allows for the diversion of blood away from the heart and lungs during the procedure.
  • Inducing Cardiac Arrest - Cardioplegia is administered through a cannula placed in the coronary sinus and another in the ascending aorta, effectively stopping the heart to provide a still surgical field.
  • Incision in the Aorta - A transverse incision is made in the aorta, and the ascending aorta is transected to access the aortic valve.
  • Excising the Diseased Valve - The stenosed aortic valve is carefully excised, and the aortic annulus and wall are debrided to prepare for the new valve.
  • Attaching the Allograft Valve - The aortic allograft is positioned in the aortic root after trimming the sinus aorta. It is then sutured into place, ensuring a secure fit.
  • Suturing the Aorta - Once the allograft is securely attached, the ascending aorta is sutured to the aortic root to restore continuity.
  • Closing the Incision - The incision in the aorta is closed, and the aortic cross-clamp is removed. The patient is gradually weaned off cardiopulmonary bypass.
  • Post-Procedure Care - Chest tubes are placed as needed to drain any excess fluid, and the chest incision is closed to complete the procedure.

3. Post-Procedure

After the open aortic valve replacement procedure, patients are typically monitored in a recovery area or intensive care unit for several hours to ensure stable vital signs and proper recovery from anesthesia. Post-operative care may include pain management, monitoring for any signs of complications such as infection or bleeding, and ensuring proper function of the new valve. Patients may require follow-up appointments to assess the function of the allograft valve and overall heart health. Rehabilitation and gradual return to normal activities are encouraged, with specific guidelines provided by the healthcare team based on individual recovery progress.

Short Descr REPLACEMENT AORTIC VALVE OPN
Medium Descr RPLCMT AORTIC VALVE OPN ALLOGRAFT VALVE FREEHAND
Long Descr Replacement, aortic valve, open, with cardiopulmonary bypass; with allograft valve (freehand)
Status Code Active Code
Global Days 090 - Major Surgery
PC/TC Indicator (26, TC) 0 - Physician Service Code
Multiple Procedures (51) 2 - Standard payment adjustment rules for multiple procedures apply.
Bilateral Surgery (50) 0 - 150% payment adjustment for bilateral procedures does NOT apply.
Physician Supervisions 09 - Concept does not apply.
Assistant Surgeon (80, 82) 2 - Payment restriction for assistants at surgery does not apply to this procedure...
Co-Surgeons (62) 1 - Co-surgeons could be paid, though supporting documentation is required...
Team Surgery (66) 0 - Team surgeons not permitted for this procedure.
Diagnostic Imaging Family 99 - Concept Does Not Apply
APC Status Indicator Inpatient Procedures, not paid under OPPS
Type of Service (TOS) 2 - Surgery
Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) P2F - Major procedure, cardiovascular-Other
MUE 1
CCS Clinical Classification 43 - Heart valve procedures

This is a primary code that can be used with these additional add-on codes.

33141 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC C Physician Quality Reporting PUB 100 CPT Assistant Article Transmyocardial laser revascularization, by thoracotomy; performed at the time of other open cardiac procedure(s) (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
33257 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC C Illustration for Code Operative tissue ablation and reconstruction of atria, performed at the time of other cardiac procedure(s), limited (eg, modified maze procedure) (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
33259 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC C Illustration for Code Operative tissue ablation and reconstruction of atria, performed at the time of other cardiac procedure(s), extensive (eg, maze procedure), with cardiopulmonary bypass (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
33530 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC C Physician Quality Reporting CPT Assistant Article Illustration for Code Reoperation, coronary artery bypass procedure or valve procedure, more than 1 month after original operation (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
34714 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N ASC N1 Open femoral artery exposure with creation of conduit for delivery of endovascular prosthesis or for establishment of cardiopulmonary bypass, by groin incision, unilateral (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
34716 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N ASC N1 Open axillary/subclavian artery exposure with creation of conduit for delivery of endovascular prosthesis or for establishment of cardiopulmonary bypass, by infraclavicular or supraclavicular incision, unilateral (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
34833 Addon Code Resequenced Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC C CPT Assistant Article Open iliac artery exposure with creation of conduit for delivery of endovascular prosthesis or for establishment of cardiopulmonary bypass, by abdominal or retroperitoneal incision, unilateral (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
22 Increased procedural services: when the work required to provide a service is substantially greater than typically required, it may be identified by adding modifier 22 to the usual procedure code. documentation must support the substantial additional work and the reason for the additional work (ie, increased intensity, time, technical difficulty of procedure, severity of patient's condition, physical and mental effort required). note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service.
51 Multiple procedures: when multiple procedures, other than e/m services, physical medicine and rehabilitation services or provision of supplies (eg, vaccines), are performed at the same session by the same individual, the primary procedure or service may be reported as listed. the additional procedure(s) or service(s) may be identified by appending modifier 51 to the additional procedure or service code(s). note: this modifier should not be appended to designated "add-on" codes (see appendix d).
77 Repeat procedure by another physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a basic procedure or service was repeated by another physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 77 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service.
78 Unplanned return to the operating/procedure room by the same physician or other qualified health care professional following initial procedure for a related procedure during the postoperative period: it may be necessary to indicate that another procedure was performed during the postoperative period of the initial procedure (unplanned procedure following initial procedure). when this procedure is related to the first, and requires the use of an operating/procedure room, it may be reported by adding modifier 78 to the related procedure. (for repeat procedures, see modifier 76.)
80 Assistant surgeon: surgical assistant services may be identified by adding modifier 80 to the usual procedure number(s).
82 Assistant surgeon (when qualified resident surgeon not available): the unavailability of a qualified resident surgeon is a prerequisite for use of modifier 82 appended to the usual procedure code number(s).
AS Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery
GC This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician
Date
Action
Notes
2017-01-01 Changed Long, Medium and Short descriptions changed. AMA Guideline removed.
2002-01-01 Changed Code description changed.
1994-01-01 Added First appearance in code book in 1994.
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