© Copyright 2025 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
The procedure described by CPT® Code 64831 involves the surgical suture of a severed digital nerve in either the hand or foot. This type of nerve repair is critical for restoring sensation and function to the affected digit. The term "digital nerve" refers to the nerves that provide sensory innervation to the fingers and toes. When these nerves are severed, it can lead to loss of feeling and impaired motor function in the corresponding digit. The repair process, commonly known as end-to-end closure, is typically performed using a technique called epineural closure. In this method, the two ends of the transected nerve are carefully exposed, allowing for direct visualization. Surgeons then place several sutures in the epineurium, which is the outer layer of the nerve, ensuring that the nerve ends are brought together without tension. This careful approximation is essential for promoting optimal healing and restoring nerve function. For the repair of a single digital nerve, the appropriate code to use is 64831. If additional digital nerves require suturing, CPT® Code 64832 should be utilized for each subsequent nerve repair.
© Copyright 2025 Coding Ahead. All rights reserved.
The suture of a digital nerve, as described by CPT® Code 64831, is indicated in cases where there is a severed digital nerve in the hand or foot. This procedure is typically performed when a patient presents with:
The procedure for suturing a digital nerve involves several critical steps to ensure successful repair and restoration of nerve function. The following outlines the procedural steps:
Following the suture of a digital nerve, patients are typically monitored for any immediate complications. Post-procedure care may include instructions for wound care, pain management, and activity restrictions to promote healing. Patients may also be advised on the importance of follow-up appointments to assess nerve recovery and function. Rehabilitation may be necessary to regain full use of the affected digit, and physical therapy may be recommended to facilitate recovery and improve outcomes.
| Short Descr | REPAIR OF DIGIT NERVE | Medium Descr | SUTURE DIGITAL NERVE HAND/FOOT 1 NERVE | Long Descr | Suture of digital nerve, hand or foot; 1 nerve | 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) | 1 - 150% payment adjustment for bilateral procedures applies. | 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 | Surgical procedure on ASC list in CY 2007; payment based on OPPS relative payment weight. | Type of Service (TOS) | 2 - Surgery | Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) | P5E - Ambulatory procedures - other | MUE | 1 | CCS Clinical Classification | 9 - Other OR therapeutic nervous system procedures |
This is a primary code that can be used with these additional add-on codes.
| 0882T | New Code for 2024 Add on code MPFS Status: Carrier Priced APC N ASC N1 Intraoperative therapeutic electrical stimulation of peripheral nerve to promote nerve regeneration, including lead placement and removal, upper extremity, minimum of 10 minutes; initial nerve (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure) | 64832 | Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N ASC N1 CPT Assistant Article Illustration for Code Suture of digital nerve, hand or foot; each additional digital nerve (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure) | 64872 | Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N ASC N1 Illustration for Code Suture of nerve; requiring secondary or delayed suture (List separately in addition to code for primary neurorrhaphy) | 64874 | Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N ASC N1 Illustration for Code Suture of nerve; requiring extensive mobilization, or transposition of nerve (List separately in addition to code for nerve suture) | 64876 | Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N ASC N1 CPT Assistant Article Illustration for Code Suture of nerve; requiring shortening of bone of extremity (List separately in addition to code for nerve suture) | 69990 | Addon Code MPFS Status: Restricted APC N ASC N1 PUB 100 CPT Assistant Article 1Microsurgical techniques, requiring use of operating microscope (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure) |
| 59 | Distinct procedural service: under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was distinct or independent from other non-e/m services performed on the same day. modifier 59 is used to identify procedures/services, other than e/m services, that are not normally reported together, but are appropriate under the circumstances. documentation must support a different session, different procedure or surgery, different site or organ system, separate incision/excision, separate lesion, or separate injury (or area of injury in extensive injuries) not ordinarily encountered or performed on the same day by the same individual. however, when another already established modifier is appropriate it should be used rather than modifier 59. only if no more descriptive modifier is available, and the use of modifier 59 best explains the circumstances, should modifier 59 be used. note: modifier 59 should not be appended to an e/m service. to report a separate and distinct e/m service with a non-e/m service performed on the same date, see modifier 25. | F8 | Right hand, fourth digit | 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). | 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. | 55 | Postoperative management only: when 1 physician or other qualified health care professional performed the postoperative management and another performed the surgical procedure, the postoperative component may be identified by adding modifier 55 to the usual procedure number. | 56 | Preoperative management only: when 1 physician or other qualified health care professional performed the preoperative care and evaluation and another performed the surgical procedure, the preoperative component may be identified by adding modifier 56 to the usual procedure number. | 58 | Staged or related procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: it may be necessary to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was: (a) planned or anticipated (staged); (b) more extensive than the original procedure; or (c) for therapy following a surgical procedure. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 58 to the staged or related procedure. note: for treatment of a problem that requires a return to the operating/procedure room (eg, unanticipated clinical condition), see modifier 78. | 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.) | 79 | Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: the individual may need to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was unrelated to the original procedure. this circumstance may be reported by using modifier 79. (for repeat procedures on the same day, see modifier 76.) | 80 | Assistant surgeon: surgical assistant services may be identified by adding modifier 80 to the usual procedure number(s). | AG | Primary physician | AQ | Physician providing a service in an unlisted health professional shortage area (hpsa) | AS | Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery | CR | Catastrophe/disaster related | F1 | Left hand, second digit | F2 | Left hand, third digit | F3 | Left hand, fourth digit | F4 | Left hand, fifth digit | F5 | Right hand, thumb | F6 | Right hand, second digit | F7 | Right hand, third digit | F9 | Right hand, fifth digit | FA | Left hand, thumb | GC | This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician | LT | Left side (used to identify procedures performed on the left side of the body) | RT | Right side (used to identify procedures performed on the right side of the body) | SG | Ambulatory surgical center (asc) facility service | XS | Separate structure, a service that is distinct because it was performed on a separate organ/structure | XU | Unusual non-overlapping service, the use of a service that is distinct because it does not overlap usual components of the main service |
|
Date
|
Action
|
Notes
|
|---|---|---|
| 2009-01-01 | Changed | Code description changed |
| Pre-1990 | Added | Code added. |
Get instant expert-level medical coding assistance.