1 code page views remaining today. Guest accounts are limited to 2 daily page views. Register free account to get more views.
Log in Register free account

Official Description

Therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic injection (specify substance or drug); intra-arterial

© Copyright 2025 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

Common Language Description

An intra-arterial injection involves the administration of a therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic substance or drug directly into an artery. This method is utilized to ensure that the medication reaches the target area more effectively, as it allows for direct delivery to the organ or tissue that requires treatment. Intra-arterial injections are relatively uncommon compared to other routes of administration, such as intravenous or intramuscular injections, due to the complexity and risks associated with accessing an artery. The procedure begins with the identification of the appropriate arterial site, followed by cleansing of the skin to minimize the risk of infection. Once the site is prepared, the artery is punctured using a needle, and the specified substance or drug is injected into the arterial circulation. This technique is particularly useful in situations where localized treatment is necessary, allowing for higher concentrations of the drug to be delivered directly to the affected area while potentially reducing systemic side effects.

© Copyright 2025 Coding Ahead. All rights reserved.

1. Indications

The intra-arterial injection procedure is indicated for various therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic purposes. The specific indications for this procedure include:

  • Therapeutic Use Administering medications directly to a specific organ or tissue to treat a localized condition.
  • Prophylactic Use Delivering substances that prevent disease or complications in high-risk patients.
  • Diagnostic Use Injecting contrast agents or other substances to assist in imaging studies or diagnostic evaluations.

2. Procedure

The procedure for an intra-arterial injection involves several critical steps to ensure safety and effectiveness. Each step is outlined as follows:

  • Step 1: Site Identification The first step involves identifying the appropriate arterial site for the injection. This is typically done using anatomical landmarks or imaging techniques to ensure accurate access to the artery.
  • Step 2: Skin Preparation Once the site is identified, the skin over the chosen artery is thoroughly cleansed with an antiseptic solution. This step is crucial to reduce the risk of infection at the injection site.
  • Step 3: Artery Puncture After the skin is prepared, a needle is carefully inserted into the artery. This requires precision and skill to avoid damaging surrounding tissues and to ensure that the needle is correctly positioned within the arterial lumen.
  • Step 4: Injection of Substance Once the needle is in place, the specified therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic substance or drug is injected directly into the artery. The injection must be performed slowly and carefully to monitor for any immediate adverse reactions.

3. Post-Procedure

After the intra-arterial injection, the patient is typically monitored for any immediate side effects or complications. It is essential to observe the injection site for signs of bleeding, swelling, or infection. Depending on the substance injected and the patient's condition, further imaging or follow-up assessments may be required to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment. Patients may also receive specific instructions regarding activity restrictions or signs of complications to watch for in the days following the procedure.

Short Descr THER/PROPH/DIAG INJ IA
Medium Descr THERAPEUTIC PROPHYLACTIC/DX NJX INTRA-ARTERIAL
Long Descr Therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic injection (specify substance or drug); intra-arterial
Status Code Active Code
Global Days XXX - Global Concept Does Not Apply
PC/TC Indicator (26, TC) 5 - Incident To Code
Multiple Procedures (51) 0 - No 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) 0 - 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 Procedure or Service, Not Discounted when Multiple
Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) P6C - Minor procedures - other (Medicare fee schedule)
MUE 2
CCS Clinical Classification 231 - Other therapeutic procedures
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.
GC This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician
26 Professional component: certain procedures are a combination of a physician or other qualified health care professional component and a technical component. when the physician or other qualified health care professional component is reported separately, the service may be identified by adding modifier 26 to the usual procedure number.
76 Repeat procedure or service by same physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was repeated by the same physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 76 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service.
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.)
AQ Physician providing a service in an unlisted health professional shortage area (hpsa)
CR Catastrophe/disaster related
GV Attending physician not employed or paid under arrangement by the patient's hospice provider
GW Service not related to the hospice patient's terminal condition
LT Left side (used to identify procedures performed on the left side of the body)
Q1 Routine clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study
RT Right side (used to identify procedures performed on the right side of the body)
X1 Continuous/broad services: for reporting services by clinicians, who provide the principal care for a patient, with no planned endpoint of the relationship; services in this category represent comprehensive care, dealing with the entire scope of patient problems, either directly or in a care coordination role; reporting clinician service examples include, but are not limited to: primary care, and clinicians providing comprehensive care to patients in addition to specialty care
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
2011-01-01 Changed Short description changed.
2009-01-01 Added -
Code
Description
Code
Description
Code
Description
Code
Description