Summary & Overview
CPT 01941: Anesthesia for Percutaneous Image-Guided Cervical/Thoracic Spine Procedures
CPT code 01941 denotes anesthesia services for percutaneous image-guided neuromodulation procedures or intravertebral procedures (for example, kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty) targeting the cervical or thoracic spine or spinal cord. This code captures anesthesia complexity tied to advanced spine interventions that may require specialized airway management, neuromonitoring coordination, and image-guided procedural support. Nationally, accurate use of this code affects payment accuracy, quality measurement for spine procedural care, and facility and provider billing alignment for complex image-guided spine interventions.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise examination of clinical context and typical sites of service, benchmarking guidance where available, and policy-relevant considerations for national payers. The analysis highlights common modifiers used with anesthesia services, practical coding relationships with spine procedures, and implications for billing workflows and documentation.
This publication provides clinicians, coders, and policy analysts with a clear description of the service represented by CPT code 01941, an overview of payer coverage focus, and the topics covered in the full report: national benchmarks, coding practice notes, and policy updates affecting anesthesia for image-guided cervical and thoracic spine procedures. Data not available in the input is identified where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 01941 describes anesthesia services provided for percutaneous image-guided neuromodulation or intravertebral procedures when the anatomic focus is the cervical or thoracic spine or spinal cord. These services involve administration and management of anesthesia for procedures that alter nerve activity through stimulation (neuromodulation) or that restore vertebral body height and stability (such as kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty).
-
Service type: Anesthesia for percutaneous image-guided neuromodulation or intravertebral spinal procedures
-
Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or ambulatory surgery center where image-guided spine procedures are performed
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 68-year-old patient with known osteoporosis and progressive thoracic vertebral compression fracture presents with severe, focal midline thoracic back pain refractory to conservative care (analgesics, bracing, and physical therapy). Imaging (CT and fluoroscopy) confirms a painful compression fracture at T8 with vertebral body height loss and bone edema on MRI. The patient is scheduled for a percutaneous image-guided kyphoplasty under monitored anesthesia care (MAC) with possible conversion to general anesthesia if airway or positioning issues arise. The anesthesia team evaluates the patient preoperatively, documents airway assessment, comorbidities (including coronary artery disease and controlled COPD), and an ASA classification of P3. On the day of service the anesthesia provider administers sedation, monitors hemodynamics and neurologic status, manages analgesia, and provides airway support as needed while the interventional radiologist or spine surgeon performs image-guided balloon kyphoplasty with cement augmentation at the thoracic spine.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when anesthesia services require substantially greater exertion, skill, time, or intensity than usually required for 01941. |