Ultrasound Accelerated and Other Thrombolysis with Principal Diagnosis Pulmonary Embolism: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

DRG 173 addresses inpatient admissions for ultrasound-accelerated and other catheter-directed thrombolysis when the principal diagnosis is pulmonary embolism, encompassing specialized endovascular treatment. Accurate assignment of this Diagnosis-Related Group matters because the procedure-driven resource use influences Medicare inpatient reimbursement amounts.

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DRG 173 Overview

DRG 173 covers hospital admissions for ultrasound-accelerated and other catheter-directed thrombolysis procedures with a principal diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. This Diagnosis-Related Group captures cases where specialized endovascular thrombolytic therapy is used to treat acute pulmonary embolism, often involving higher resource intensity than standard medical management. It matters for Medicare payment because the procedural complexity and associated monitoring drive inpatient reimbursement under Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Group payment policies. Correct coding of the principal diagnosis and procedure codes determines grouping and impacts hospital payment levels.

Clinical Trials

Acute device-augmented thrombolysis trials: randomized or prospective cohort studies comparing ultrasound-accelerated catheter-directed thrombolysis versus standard catheter-directed or systemic thrombolysis in patients hospitalized with intermediate- to high-risk pulmonary embolism. These studies enroll patients during the index admission who have hemodynamic compromise, right ventricular strain on imaging, or elevated biomarkers, and examine immediate outcomes such as clot resolution, hemodynamic improvement, bleeding complications, and ICU/hospital length of stay. Results are directly relevant to inpatient providers deciding between escalation strategies and to payers evaluating short-term cost, resource use, and safety trade-offs associated with advanced thrombolytic techniques covered under this DRG.
Comparative effectiveness and safety research in heterogeneous patient subgroups: observational registry analyses or pragmatic trials that compare different reperfusion strategies (ultrasound-accelerated thrombolysis, standard catheter-directed thrombolysis, surgical embolectomy, or anticoagulation alone) across key subpopulations—older adults, patients with recent surgery or high bleeding risk, chronic kidney disease, or morbid obesity. These studies focus on differential risks and benefits, bleeding rates, transfusion needs, and in-hospital mortality to identify which patients derive net clinical benefit from aggressive thrombolysis approaches during the index hospitalization. Findings guide clinicians on individualized treatment selection and help payers refine coverage policies and risk-adjusted reimbursement by clarifying which subgroups have favorable outcomes with resource-intensive interventions.
Post-discharge outcomes and health services research: prospective cohort studies and health-economic analyses following survivors of pulmonary embolism treated with catheter-based thrombolysis to assess 90-day to 1-year outcomes including recurrent thromboembolism, post-PE functional status, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension incidence, readmissions, and total cost of care. These studies enroll patients at discharge to capture downstream morbidity, rehabilitation needs, anticoagulation management patterns, and quality-of-life measures, providing evidence on long-term benefits or harms of inpatient thrombolytic strategies. Such data inform hospital discharge planning, outpatient monitoring protocols, and payer evaluations of the long-term value and cost-effectiveness of aggressive inpatient therapies billed under this DRG.

Related Codes

163-MAJOR-CHEST-PROCEDURES-WITH-MCC

Major Chest Procedures with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

164-MAJOR-CHEST-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC

Major Chest Procedures with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

165-MAJOR-CHEST-PROCEDURES-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

Major Chest Procedures without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

166-OTHER-RESPIRATORY-SYSTEM-O-R-PROCEDURES-WITH-MCC

Other Respiratory System O.R. Procedures with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

167-OTHER-RESPIRATORY-SYSTEM-O-R-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC

Other Respiratory System O.R. Procedures with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

168-OTHER-RESPIRATORY-SYSTEM-O-R-PROCEDURES-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

Other Respiratory System O.R. Procedures without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

175-PULMONARY-EMBOLISM-WITH-MCC-OR-ACUTE-COR-PULMONALE

Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

176-PULMONARY-EMBOLISM-WITHOUT-MCC

Pulmonary Embolism without MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

177-RESPIRATORY-INFECTIONS-AND-INFLAMMATIONS-WITH-MCC

Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

178-RESPIRATORY-INFECTIONS-AND-INFLAMMATIONS-WITH-CC

Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

Showing 1–10 of 40

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

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Clinical Trials

Acute device-augmented thrombolysis trials: randomized or prospective cohort studies comparing ultrasound-accelerated catheter-directed thrombolysis versus standard catheter-directed or systemic thrombolysis in patients hospitalized with intermediate- to high-risk pulmonary embolism. These studies enroll patients during the index admission who have hemodynamic compromise, right ventricular strain on imaging, or elevated biomarkers, and examine immediate outcomes such as clot resolution, hemodynamic improvement, bleeding complications, and ICU/hospital length of stay. Results are directly relevant to inpatient providers deciding between escalation strategies and to payers evaluating short-term cost, resource use, and safety trade-offs associated with advanced thrombolytic techniques covered under this DRG.
Comparative effectiveness and safety research in heterogeneous patient subgroups: observational registry analyses or pragmatic trials that compare different reperfusion strategies (ultrasound-accelerated thrombolysis, standard catheter-directed thrombolysis, surgical embolectomy, or anticoagulation alone) across key subpopulations—older adults, patients with recent surgery or high bleeding risk, chronic kidney disease, or morbid obesity. These studies focus on differential risks and benefits, bleeding rates, transfusion needs, and in-hospital mortality to identify which patients derive net clinical benefit from aggressive thrombolysis approaches during the index hospitalization. Findings guide clinicians on individualized treatment selection and help payers refine coverage policies and risk-adjusted reimbursement by clarifying which subgroups have favorable outcomes with resource-intensive interventions.
Post-discharge outcomes and health services research: prospective cohort studies and health-economic analyses following survivors of pulmonary embolism treated with catheter-based thrombolysis to assess 90-day to 1-year outcomes including recurrent thromboembolism, post-PE functional status, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension incidence, readmissions, and total cost of care. These studies enroll patients at discharge to capture downstream morbidity, rehabilitation needs, anticoagulation management patterns, and quality-of-life measures, providing evidence on long-term benefits or harms of inpatient thrombolytic strategies. Such data inform hospital discharge planning, outpatient monitoring protocols, and payer evaluations of the long-term value and cost-effectiveness of aggressive inpatient therapies billed under this DRG.

Related Codes

163-MAJOR-CHEST-PROCEDURES-WITH-MCC

Major Chest Procedures with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

164-MAJOR-CHEST-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC

Major Chest Procedures with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

165-MAJOR-CHEST-PROCEDURES-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

Major Chest Procedures without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

166-OTHER-RESPIRATORY-SYSTEM-O-R-PROCEDURES-WITH-MCC

Other Respiratory System O.R. Procedures with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

167-OTHER-RESPIRATORY-SYSTEM-O-R-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC

Other Respiratory System O.R. Procedures with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

168-OTHER-RESPIRATORY-SYSTEM-O-R-PROCEDURES-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

Other Respiratory System O.R. Procedures without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

175-PULMONARY-EMBOLISM-WITH-MCC-OR-ACUTE-COR-PULMONALE

Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

176-PULMONARY-EMBOLISM-WITHOUT-MCC

Pulmonary Embolism without MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

177-RESPIRATORY-INFECTIONS-AND-INFLAMMATIONS-WITH-MCC

Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

178-RESPIRATORY-INFECTIONS-AND-INFLAMMATIONS-WITH-CC

Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

Showing 1–10 of 40

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.