CPT 01340: Anesthesia for Closed Procedure on Lower One-Third of Femur
CPT code 01340 denotes anesthesia services for any closed procedure on the lower one-third of the femur. The code captures anesthetic management specific to distal femoral procedures and is used across inpatient and outpatient surgical settings where orthopedic surgeons perform closed interventions on the thigh bone. Accurate use of this code supports appropriate service classification and national reporting of anesthesia resource utilization for lower-extremity orthopedic care.
Key payers included in national analyses are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of clinical context for the code, typical sites of service, and how it maps to anesthesia service lines. The publication also summarizes common billing modifiers, associated clinical taxonomies, representative ICD-10 diagnoses encountered with these procedures, and closely related anesthesia codes such as 01360 for open procedures of the same femoral segment.
This summary provides a concise reference for coding professionals, billing staff, and policy analysts seeking clarity on when 01340 applies, the clinical scenarios that commonly trigger its use, and the payer landscape relevant to national billing and reimbursement workflows. Data not available in the input: detailed utilization metrics and payer-specific reimbursement rates.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 01340 describes anesthesia services provided for any closed procedure on the lower one-third of the femur (thigh bone). This service is delivered by an anesthesia clinician who manages the patient's anesthetic care during procedures limited to the distal portion of the femur.
Service type: Anesthesia for closed orthopedic procedure on the lower one-third of the femur
Typical site of service: Operating room or procedure suite for orthopedic surgery involving the distal femur
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 56-year-old male with a history of progressive right knee pain from unilateral primary osteoarthritis (M17.11) presents for operative management after failed conservative care. Preoperative evaluation documents intermittent mechanical catching and instability consistent with a medial meniscus tear (S83.241A) and prior episodes suggestive of chronic knee instability (M23.50). The orthopedic surgeon schedules a closed intramedullary fixation of a distal femur fracture (lower one-third of the femur) under general endotracheal anesthesia with possible regional adjunct. The anesthesia team (Anesthesiology or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) performs a pre-op assessment, documents ASA physical status (P2 or P3 as appropriate), obtains informed consent for anesthesia, places standard monitors, induces general anesthesia, and provides intraoperative maintenance including endotracheal intubation, ventilation, hemodynamic management, and appropriate analgesia. A femoral nerve or adductor canal block may be provided pre- or post-induction for postoperative pain control. The case concludes with emergence, transfer to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), and documentation of anesthesia time and any intraoperative complications. Typical site of service is an ambulatory surgery center or hospital operating room for closed procedures on the lower one-third of the femur. Common presenting indications include distal femur fracture fixation in the setting of acute injury (S83.241A, S83.511A) or operative treatment related to degenerative and instability conditions (M17.11, M23.50, M25.561).
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | When work required is substantially greater than usual (e.g., unexpectedly complex airway or prolonged difficult anesthesia). |
23 | Unusual anesthesia | When anesthesia is administered for a procedure that ordinarily does not require anesthesia but it is medically necessary. |
50 | Bilateral procedure | When anesthesia is performed for bilateral surgical procedures during the same operative session. |
52 | Reduced services | When the anesthesia service is partially reduced or not performed to full extent. |
53 | Discontinued procedure | When the procedure is started but discontinued; use when anesthesia was provided and surgery aborted. |
62 | Two surgeons | When two surgeons work together as primary surgeons; relevant if anesthesia billing needs to note shared surgical responsibility impacting perioperative management. |
78 | Unplanned return to the operating room following initial procedure for a related procedure during the postoperative period | When the patient returns to OR for a related procedure and anesthesia is provided. |
AA | Anesthesia service performed personally by anesthesiologist | When the anesthesiologist personally performs the anesthesia care. |
AD | Medical supervision by anesthesiologist; medically directed CRNA service | When an anesthesiologist medically directs two, three, or four concurrent anesthesia procedures. |
AS | Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist service for assistant at surgery | When such a clinician provides qualifying assistant-at-surgery services relevant to perioperative care. |
QK | Medical direction of two, three, or four concurrent anesthesia procedures | When the anesthesiologist medically directs CRNAs for multiple concurrent cases. |
QS | Monitored anesthesia care service | When monitored anesthesia care (MAC) rather than general or regional anesthesia is provided. |
QX | CRNA service with medical direction by a physician | When a CRNA performs the anesthesia under the direction of a physician. |
QY | Medical direction of one CRNA by an anesthesiologist | When the anesthesiologist directs one CRNA for the case. |
| Taxonomy Code | Specialty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
207L00000X | Anesthesiology | Physician anesthesiologists provide and supervise intraoperative anesthesia and perioperative management. |
367500000X | Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | CRNAs frequently deliver anesthesia services for orthopedic procedures, often under direction or supervision. |
207X00000X | Orthopaedic Surgery | Orthopedic surgeons perform the lower one-third femur procedures; anesthesia codes are reported in support of their surgical care. |
Related Diagnoses
| ICD-10 Code | Description | Clinical Relevance |
|---|---|---|
M17.11 | Unilateral primary osteoarthritis, right knee | Degenerative joint disease may necessitate operative interventions and is commonly documented in preoperative evaluation for knee/thigh procedures. |
M23.50 | Chronic instability of knee, unspecified knee | Knee instability can be an indication for surgical stabilization or repair and influences perioperative planning. |
S83.241A | Other tear of medial meniscus, current injury, right knee, initial encounter | Acute meniscal tear requiring arthroscopic or related procedures; may co-occur with distal femur injuries or influence operative planning. |
M25.561 | Pain in right knee | Symptom code often accompanying surgical indications and included in anesthesia pre-op problem list. |
S83.511A | Sprain of anterior cruciate ligament of right knee, initial encounter | Ligamentous injury that may be treated surgically; relevant to perioperative risk assessment and combined procedures. |
Related CPT Codes
| CPT Code | Description | Relationship to This Procedure |
|---|---|---|
01360 | Anesthesia for all open procedures on lower one‑third of femur | Related anesthesia code for open procedures of the same anatomic region; use when the surgical approach is open rather than closed. |