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Cryoablation is a medical procedure that utilizes extreme cold to effectively destroy abnormal cells within the body. Specifically, in the context of liver tumors, percutaneous liver ablation is a minimally invasive technique that is performed with the assistance of imaging technologies such as ultrasound (US), computerized tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These imaging modalities are crucial as they help in accurately identifying the location and size of the liver tumor(s). During the procedure, a thin, hollow cryoprobe is carefully inserted through the skin and directed to the targeted tumor area. Once in place, liquid nitrogen or argon gas is injected through the cryoprobe, resulting in the freezing of the tumor tissue. This freezing process leads to the destruction of the tumor cells, which are then gradually absorbed by the body, eliminating the need for mechanical removal of the tissue. Cryoablation is particularly advantageous for treating both large and small tumors, especially in cases where traditional open surgical resection is not feasible due to factors such as the patient's age, existing medical conditions, or when the goal is to provide palliative care for patients with systemic disseminated disease.
© Copyright 2025 Coding Ahead. All rights reserved.
The procedure of percutaneous cryoablation of liver tumors is indicated for various clinical scenarios, particularly when traditional surgical options are not viable. The following conditions may warrant the use of this procedure:
The procedure of percutaneous cryoablation involves several critical steps to ensure effective treatment of liver tumors. The following outlines the procedural steps:
After the cryoablation procedure, patients may require monitoring for any immediate complications, although the minimally invasive nature of the procedure typically results in a shorter recovery time. Patients are often advised to follow up with their healthcare provider to assess the effectiveness of the treatment and to monitor for any potential side effects. It is important for patients to adhere to any specific post-procedure care instructions provided by their healthcare team to ensure optimal recovery and outcomes.
| Short Descr | PERQ ABLTJ LVR CRYOABLATION | Medium Descr | ABLATION 1/> LIVER TUMOR PERQ CRYOABLATION | Long Descr | Ablation, 1 or more liver tumor(s), percutaneous, cryoablation | Status Code | Active Code | Global Days | 010 - Minor Procedure | 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) | 1 - Statutory payment restriction for assistants at surgery applies 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 | Hospital Part B services paid through a comprehensive APC | ASC Payment Indicator | Device-intensive procedure added to ASC list in CY 2008 or later; paid at adjusted rate. | Type of Service (TOS) | 2 - Surgery | Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) | P1G - Major procedure - Other | MUE | 1 |
| GC | This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician | 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). | 53 | Discontinued procedure: under certain circumstances, the physician or other qualified health care professional may elect to terminate a surgical or diagnostic procedure. due to extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well being of the patient, it may be necessary to indicate that a surgical or diagnostic procedure was started but discontinued. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 53 to the code reported by the individual for the discontinued procedure. note: this modifier is not used to report the elective cancellation of a procedure prior to the patient's anesthesia induction and/or surgical preparation in the operating suite. for outpatient hospital/ambulatory surgery center (asc) reporting of a previously scheduled procedure/service that is partially reduced or cancelled as a result of extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well being of the patient prior to or after administration of anesthesia, see modifiers 73 and 74 (see modifiers approved for asc hospital outpatient use). | 54 | Surgical care only: when 1 physician or other qualified health care professional performs a surgical procedure and another provides preoperative and/or postoperative management, surgical services may be identified by adding modifier 54 to the usual procedure number. | LT | Left side (used to identify procedures performed on the left side of the body) | X4 | Episodic/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians who provide focused care on particular types of treatment limited to a defined period and circumstance; the patient has a problem, acute or chronic, that will be treated with surgery, radiation, or some other type of generally time-limited intervention; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the orthopedic surgeon performing a knee replacement and seeing the patient through the postoperative period | X5 | Diagnostic services requested by another clinician: for reporting services by a clinician who furnishes care to the patient only as requested by another clinician or subsequent and related services requested by another clinician; this modifier is reported for patient relationships that may not be adequately captured by the above alternative categories; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the radiologist's interpretation of an imaging study requested by another clinician | XS | Separate structure, a service that is distinct because it was performed on a separate organ/structure |
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| 2017-01-01 | Changed | Moderate (Conscious) Sedation flag removed. See new Moderate Sedation category. |
| 2015-01-01 | Added | Added |
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