Which CPT code is correct for pulmonary endarterectomy with embolectomy and cardiopulmonary bypass?

Which CPT code is correct for pulmonary endarterectomy with embolectomy and cardiopulmonary bypass?

• A. 33912
• B. 33916
• C. 33920
• D. 33918

Answer: (B)

The key idea is to match the operative description exactly to a CPT code that includes all parts of the procedure: pulmonary endarterectomy (removing disease from the pulmonary arteries), embolectomy (removal of emboli), and the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. When cardiopulmonary bypass is employed, the code must specify that bypass is part of the procedure; codes that omit bypass, or that describe only endarterectomy or only embolectomy, do not accurately reflect what was done. In this case, the correct descriptor is the one that explicitly states pulmonary endarterectomy with embolectomy and cardiopulmonary bypass. That combination best fits a complex cardiac surgery where bypass is required to safely access the pulmonary arteries and remove thromboembolic material. Other descriptors would be inappropriate because they omit one of these essential elements—the bypass, the embolectomy, or the endarterectomy—so they would not accurately represent the complete operation performed.

The key idea is to match the operative description exactly to a CPT code that includes all parts of the procedure: pulmonary endarterectomy (removing disease from the pulmonary arteries), embolectomy (removal of emboli), and the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. When cardiopulmonary bypass is employed, the code must specify that bypass is part of the procedure; codes that omit bypass, or that describe only endarterectomy or only embolectomy, do not accurately reflect what was done.

In this case, the correct descriptor is the one that explicitly states pulmonary endarterectomy with embolectomy and cardiopulmonary bypass. That combination best fits a complex cardiac surgery where bypass is required to safely access the pulmonary arteries and remove thromboembolic material. Other descriptors would be inappropriate because they omit one of these essential elements—the bypass, the embolectomy, or the endarterectomy—so they would not accurately represent the complete operation performed.