Summary & Overview
CPT 31647: Bronchoscopic Placement of Bronchial Valve
CPT code 31647 denotes bronchoscopic placement of a bronchial valve after visualization and assessment of an air leak and involved bronchial airway. The valve placement is a therapeutic intervention aimed at controlling airflow to lung regions with lost elasticity, commonly used in the management of persistent air leaks or selected emphysematous disease. The code captures both the diagnostic assessment under bronchoscopy and the definitive placement of the device, making it relevant for pulmonology, thoracic surgery, and interventional bronchoscopy services nationwide.
Key payers covered include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find clinical context for when this procedure is used, typical sites of service (hospital outpatient departments and ambulatory surgical centers), and how the code is classified within procedural reporting. The publication outlines benchmarks and policy-relevant considerations affecting reimbursement and coverage determinations, and highlights documentation elements that support appropriate coding and billing. Data not available in the input will be noted where relevant.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 31647 describes placement of a bronchial valve during bronchoscopic visualization. The procedure involves assessing the extent of an air leak and the size of the affected bronchial airway, then placing a valve to control airflow into a lung region where elasticity has been lost.
Service type: Bronchoscopic bronchial valve placement, therapeutic airway intervention
Typical site of service: Hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgical center where bronchoscopy procedures are performed
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult with advanced emphysematous chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presenting with progressive dyspnea and hyperinflation despite optimal medical therapy. The patient undergoes pre-procedure evaluation including chest CT to identify target lobes and collateral ventilation assessment (e.g., using Chartis or CT fissure analysis). Pulmonary function tests (PFTs), arterial blood gas, and cardiopulmonary risk assessment are performed. Under conscious sedation or general anesthesia in an operating room or bronchoscopy suite, the interventional pulmonologist performs flexible bronchoscopy, inspects the bronchial tree, measures airway diameter, assesses the extent of air leak or target segment, and deploys one-way endobronchial valves to reduce ventilation to the diseased region. Post-procedure, the patient is observed for pneumothorax, hypoxia, hemoptysis, and is scheduled for follow-up imaging and clinical reassessment to document clinical benefit and valve position.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier (default) | Use when no special circumstance applies. |
11 | Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management (E/M) service rendered on the same date of service |