CPT 01925: Anesthesia for Therapeutic Interventional Radiology of Carotid/Coronary Arteries
CPT code 01925 represents anesthesia care for therapeutic interventional radiological procedures targeting the carotid or coronary arteries. This code is used when an anesthesiologist or qualified anesthesia provider delivers peri-procedural anesthesia for image-guided vascular interventions on these arterial territories. Nationally, accurate coding for complex interventional anesthesia is important for clinical documentation, resource allocation, and standardized reporting across hospital procedural settings.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical context for when 01925 is reported, comparisons to adjacent interventional anesthesia codes, and practical benchmarks that inform coding consistency and administrative review. The publication outlines typical sites of service and the clinical scenarios that commonly generate this code, and it highlights related codes to aid in appropriate code selection. Also included are common modifiers and mapping considerations for anesthesia service lines to support accurate billing and reconciliation. This summary is written for a national audience and focuses on code definition, clinical context, and operational implications rather than state-specific policy.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 01925 describes anesthesia services provided for therapeutic interventional radiological procedures involving the carotid or coronary arteries. These services involve administering and managing anesthesia care during catheter-based or image-guided procedures performed on carotid or coronary arterial targets.
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Service type: Procedural anesthesia for therapeutic interventional radiology
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Typical site of service: Hospital-based interventional radiology or cardiac catheterization labs, including inpatient and outpatient procedural suites
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 68-year-old male with a history of coronary artery disease and symptomatic carotid stenosis is scheduled for a therapeutic interventional radiology procedure to perform carotid artery stenting under monitored anesthesia care with potential conversion to general anesthesia. Pre-procedure evaluation includes review of cardiac history, medications including antiplatelet therapy, airway assessment, and consent. On the day of service the anesthesia team (anesthesiologist or anesthesiologist assistant) places monitors, establishes IV access, and administers sedation and analgesia tailored to maintain hemodynamic stability while allowing neurovascular monitoring. If the patient develops airway compromise or requires immobility for procedural safety, anesthesia is converted to general endotracheal anesthesia. Post-procedure, the patient is transferred to post-anesthesia care with focused neurologic and cardiovascular monitoring and handoff to interventional radiology and nursing staff for access-site management and antiplatelet therapy planning.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
23 | Unusual Anesthesia — Emergency or unusual circumstances | Use when administration of general anesthesia is required for procedures normally done with local or no anesthesia due to unusual circumstances. |
50 | Bilateral Procedure | Use when identical procedures are performed bilaterally and separate reporting is appropriate. |
52 | Reduced Services | Use when anesthesia services are partially reduced or not provided as typically described. |
53 | Discontinued Procedure | Use when procedure is started but discontinued for clinical reasons prior to completion. |
62 | Two Surgeons | Use when two surgeons work together as primary surgeons; applicable when reporting surgical co-management that affects anesthesia planning. |
78 | Unplanned Return to Operating/Procedure Room for Related Procedure by Same Physician | Use when the patient returns to interventional radiology suite for a related, same-day complication requiring repeat anesthesia services. |
59 | Distinct Procedural Service | Use to indicate a distinct procedural service when multiple procedures are performed that are not normally reported together. |
AA | Anesthesia by Physician | Use to identify anesthesia services personally performed by an anesthesiologist. |
AD | Medical Supervision by a Physician; more than four concurrent anesthetized cases | Use when a supervising anesthesiologist oversees multiple cases and billing requires the supervision modifier. |
QK | Medical Direction by a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) | Use when a physician medically directs a CRNA for the anesthetic service. |
QS | Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC) | Use to indicate monitored anesthesia care when documentation supports MAC rather than general anesthesia. |
QX | CRNA Service: Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Service with Direction by a Physician | Use when a CRNA performs the anesthesia service under physician direction. |
QY | Medical Direction of One CRNA by an Anesthesiologist | Use when one anesthesiologist directs one CRNA for the anesthetic. |
QZ | CRNA Service: Without Medical Direction by a Physician | Use when CRNA provides anesthesia without physician direction. |
| Taxonomy Code | Specialty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
207L00000X | Anesthesiology | Board-certified anesthesiologists who provide perioperative and procedural anesthesia care. |
207RA0401X | Anesthesiology Assistant | Anesthesiology assistants who practice under physician supervision and assist in delivering anesthetic care. |
367H00000X | Anesthesiologist Assistant | Non-physician anesthetist taxonomy; used where applicable for billing and credentialing purposes. |
Related Diagnoses
| ICD-10 Code | Description | Clinical Relevance |
|---|---|---|
M23.50 | Chronic instability of knee, unspecified knee | Listed in input; not directly related to carotid/coronary interventional anesthesia but may appear in the problem list affecting positioning or perioperative mobility considerations. |
M25.561 | Pain in right knee | Listed in input; may be part of comorbidity list relevant to analgesic planning. |
M25.562 | Pain in left knee | Listed in input; may be part of comorbidity list relevant to analgesic planning. |
M17.11 | Unilateral primary osteoarthritis, right knee | Listed in input; chronic pain condition that may affect peri-procedural mobility and analgesic needs. |
M17.12 | Unilateral primary osteoarthritis, left knee | Listed in input; chronic pain condition that may affect peri-procedural mobility and analgesic needs. |
Related CPT Codes
| CPT Code | Description | Relationship to This Procedure |
|---|---|---|
01924 | Anesthesia for therapeutic interventional radiological procedures involving the arterial system. | Overlapping category; 01924 may be used for arterial interventions not specific to carotid or coronary arteries when coding scope differs. |
01926 | Anesthesia for therapeutic interventional radiological procedures involving intracranial, intracardiac, or aortic arteries. | Related higher-complexity intra-arterial procedures; used when procedures involve intracranial, intracardiac, or aortic territories rather than carotid or coronary vessels. |