An elderly patient was brought into the operating room with an ascending aortic arch aneurysm. The surgeon performed a total aortic arch and ascending aorta replacement, followed by a bifurcated graft between the ascending aortic graft, innominate artery, and left carotid artery. Lastly, a left atrial appendage ligation was performed. What code(s) should be reported ...

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Note:  The following article synopsis was NOT provided by the AMA. It was created by Find-A-Code/innoviHealth.

Article Overview

This article reviews a surgical coding scenario involving repair of an ascending aortic arch aneurysm and a related cardiac procedure performed during the same operative session. It is aimed at coders and billing staff working with cardiothoracic surgery documentation, and it highlights how the case is presented in a question-and-answer format with mention of reporting considerations for an unlisted service and supporting documentation.

Why This Topic Matters

Complex cardiothoracic operations often involve multiple services and documentation nuances, so this type of guidance helps readers understand the scope of the case and the coding framework being discussed.

Codes Discussed

• CPT: 33860
• CPT: 33999

Modifiers Discussed

• CPT: 22

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