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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesActive thoracic irrigation ProcedureCPT cpt-1021t-therapeutic-pleural-irrigation-with-catheter-drainage
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    CPT 1021T: Pleural Space Irrigation and Suction Procedure

    CPT code 1021T describes a procedure in which a provider uses a chest tube or catheter to repeatedly irrigate the pleural space with sterile solution and apply suction to remove abnormal collections (fluid, pus, or blood); this is a therapeutic pleural irrigation and drainage procedure typically delivered as an interventional thoracic procedure in inpatient or outpatient hospital settings or specialized procedural suites where chest tubes are managed.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Automated Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring for Diagnosis of Hypertension in Patients with Elevated Office Blood Pressure, Cardiology - Ivabradine, Cardiac Computed Tomography (CCT)/Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography (CCTA).

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A typical patient is an adult hospitalized with a symptomatic pleural collection such as an empyema, complicated parapneumonic effusion, or hemothorax that requires ongoing drainage and irrigation. The patient often presents with fever, pleuritic chest pain, dyspnea, and imaging (chest radiograph or CT) showing loculated pleural fluid. A chest tube or pigtail catheter is placed under local anesthesia or moderate sedation in the interventional radiology suite, emergency department, or at bedside. After initial placement and confirmation of tube position, the provider initiates a regimen of repeated instillation of sterile solution and suction-assisted drainage, cycling irrigation and aspiration over hours to days to evacuate thick fluid, pus, or blood and to break loculations. Clinical workflow includes baseline vital signs and anticoagulation review, informed consent, procedural time-out, sterile technique during catheter access, documentation of volumes instilled and removed, daily assessments of drain output and character, repeat imaging as indicated, and criteria-based discontinuation of therapy when drainage decreases and clinical/imaging improvement is seen. Typical sites of service include inpatient hospital wards, the intensive care unit, procedure rooms, interventional radiology, and emergency department settings.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    32551Tube thoracostomy, includes water seal (e.g., for empyema, hemothorax), when performedOften precedes 1021T as the initial chest tube placement; establishes access for subsequent irrigation and suction cycles.
    32555Removal of chest tube; simple removal without anesthesiaPerformed after completion of irrigation/suction therapy when drainage has resolved and tube is no longer needed.
    32097Image-guided percutaneous catheter drainage; pleural cavityImage-guided catheter placement may be used instead of bedside tube thoracostomy to access complex or loculated collections before 1021T therapy.
    76937Ultrasound, guidance for needle placement (e.g., drainage)Ultrasound guidance is commonly used during catheter placement that facilitates subsequent irrigation/suction therapy.
    99231Subsequent hospital care, typically 25 minutes per dayRepresents daily evaluation and management services commonly billed during the inpatient course while 1021T therapy continues.

    Related Modifiers

    7 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    25CPT modifier 25 indicates that on the same day as another procedure or service, the same physician or other qualified health care professional provided a significant, separately identifiable…- When to apply: Use modifier 25 only on an E/M code to indicate the same provider delivered a significant, separately identifiable E/M service on the same day as another procedure or service — i.e.,…
    26Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
    59Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…
    76Modifier -76, Repeat Procedure or Service by Same Physician or Other Qualified Health Care Professional, is appended when the same provider performs an identical, medically necessary procedure or…- Use modifier -76 when the same physician or other qualified health care professional performs an identical procedure or service a second (or subsequent) time on the same date of service and the…
    77Modifier 77 indicates that a previously performed procedure or service was legitimately repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional. The AMA’s CPT definition…- Use modifier 77 when a basic procedure or service already performed is repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional (for example, a second provider independently…
    78CPT modifier -78 indicates an unplanned, related return to the operating or procedure room by the same provider during the global postoperative period. It is appended when treatment for a…- Use modifier -78 when an unplanned, related complication during the original procedure’s global postoperative period requires the patient to return to a formal operating or procedure room and the…
    79Modifier 79 indicates a surgical procedure performed during the postoperative global period of a prior surgery that is unrelated to the original procedure. Per AMA/CPT and CMS guidance, it is…- Use modifier 79 when the same physician (or same‑specialty physician in the same group) performs a surgical procedure during the postoperative global period of a prior surgery and the new procedure…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207RC0000X
    2084P0800X
    207T00000X
    208000000X
    332B00000X
    3336C0004X
    310400000X
    101YM0800X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    24 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    A48.1Legionnaires' disease
    B96.89Other specified bacterial agents as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere
    C34.90Malignant neoplasm of unspecified part of unspecified bronchus or lung
    C78.7Secondary malignant neoplasm of liver and intrahepatic bile duct
    I21.9Acute myocardial infarction, unspecified
    I50.9Heart failure, unspecified
    J15.9Unspecified bacterial pneumonia
    J18.9Pneumonia, unspecified organism
    J60Coalworker's pneumoconiosis
    J84.10Pulmonary fibrosis, unspecified

    Showing 1–10 of 24

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Cardiology1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Automated Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring for Diagnosis of Hypertension in Patients with Elevated Office Blood PressureBluecross Idaho2026-11-01
    Cardiology - IvabradineCigna2026-10-15
    Cardiac Computed Tomography (CCT)/Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography (CCTA)univerahealthcare2026-10-15
    Percutaneous Ventricular Assist DeviceUnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Cardiovascular Disease Risk AssessmentOscar Health2026-10-01
    Biomarkers for Myocardial Infarction and Chronic Heart FailureOscar Health2026-10-01
    Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction for Diagnostic Cardiovascular ProceduresBlue Cross Blue Shield - Maine2026-10-01
    Left Atrial Appendage Closure Devicesexcellus_health_plan_inc2026-09-17
    Left Atrial Appendage Closure Devicesuniverahealthcare2026-09-17
    Cardiac Omnibus CodesCigna2026-09-15

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 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. 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. 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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