© Copyright 2025 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
The procedure described by CPT® Code 33852 involves the surgical repair of a hypoplastic or interrupted aortic arch, which is a critical condition affecting the aorta. A hypoplastic aortic arch, also known as diffuse long-segment coarctation, is characterized by a narrowing of the aorta along its entire arch, leading to potential complications in blood flow. An interrupted aortic arch, on the other hand, refers to a complete absence of a segment of the aortic arch, which can severely impact the circulatory system. These conditions often coexist with other congenital cardiac anomalies, such as ventricular septal defect (VSD), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), aortopulmonary window, and truncus arteriosus, necessitating careful surgical intervention. The surgical approach typically involves making a posterolateral incision to gain access to the aortic arch, followed by mobilization of the ascending aorta, aortic arch, its branches, ductus arteriosus, and descending aorta. During the procedure, it is crucial to protect the recurrent laryngeal and phrenic nerves, and lymphatic vessels are managed with hemoclips. The ductus arteriosus is ligated to prevent blood flow through this vessel. The repair can be performed without cardiopulmonary bypass, utilizing a partial occluding clamp across the aortic arch, or with cardiopulmonary bypass, where cannulation of the aorta and vena cavae is performed to establish bypass and cross-clamp the aorta. The actual repair of the hypoplastic or interrupted segment can be achieved through various techniques, including patch aortoplasty, tube graft replacement, or the use of an autogenous graft, such as a left subclavian artery flap graft. After the repair, the parietal pleura is closed over the graft, and the chest incisions are sutured, with chest tubes placed as necessary to facilitate recovery.
© Copyright 2025 Coding Ahead. All rights reserved.
The procedure is indicated for patients with the following conditions:
The surgical procedure for repairing a hypoplastic or interrupted aortic arch involves several critical steps:
Post-procedure care involves monitoring the patient for any complications related to the surgery. Expected recovery includes observation for proper healing of the surgical site and management of any potential issues such as bleeding or infection. The placement of chest tubes, if utilized, will aid in the removal of any excess fluid or air from the pleural space, promoting optimal recovery. Follow-up evaluations will be necessary to assess the success of the repair and the overall cardiovascular function of the patient.
| Short Descr | RPR HYPOPL A-ARCH WO BYP | Medium Descr | RPR HYPOPLASTIC A-ARCH W/AUTOG/PROSTC W/O BYPASS | Long Descr | Repair of hypoplastic or interrupted aortic arch using autogenous or prosthetic material; without cardiopulmonary bypass | 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) | 0 - Co-surgeons not permitted for this procedure. | 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 | 52 - Aortic resection, replacement or anastomosis |
This is a primary code that can be used with these additional add-on codes.
| 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) | 33258 | 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), without cardiopulmonary bypass (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure) |
|
Date
|
Action
|
Notes
|
|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-01 | Changed | Short and Medium Descriptions changed. |
| 1990-01-01 | Added | First appearance in code book in 1990. |
Get instant expert-level medical coding assistance.