Summary & Overview
CPT 32140: Thoracotomy for Excision of Pulmonary Cyst(s)
CPT code 32140 denotes a thoracotomy for excision of one or more pulmonary cysts and, when performed, may include procedures on the pleura. This surgical code is relevant across tertiary and community hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers where thoracic operations are performed. It matters nationally because thoracic surgical interventions drive inpatient surgical utilization, resource allocation in operating rooms, and post-operative care pathways.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context for 32140, typical sites of service, and common billing practices. The publication outlines benchmarks for utilization and payment where available, summarizes relevant policy or coding considerations affecting reimbursement and claim adjudication, and provides clinical context that clarifies when thoracotomy for pulmonary cyst excision is billed.
This summary is intended to help coding professionals, revenue cycle staff, and policy analysts understand the purpose of CPT code 32140, the clinical setting in which it is used, and the types of payer coverage and policy topics that commonly affect claims for thoracotomy procedures.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 32140 describes a thoracotomy procedure performed to remove one or more pulmonary cysts. The procedure involves a surgical incision into the chest wall to access the lungs and may include work on the pleura (the membrane surrounding the lungs).
Service type: Surgical — Thoracic surgery
Typical site of service: Inpatient hospital or ambulatory surgical center, where thoracic surgical procedures are performed and operative chest access is available.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a 45–70-year-old adult who presents with a symptomatic or enlarging pulmonary cyst (e.g., bronchogenic cyst, congenital pulmonary airway malformation, or large bullous disease) identified on chest imaging with risk of infection, rupture, or compromise of adjacent lung. The patient undergoes preoperative evaluation including chest CT, pulmonary function testing, anesthesia assessment, and informed consent. In the operating room under general anesthesia with single-lung ventilation, the thoracic surgeon performs a thoracotomy to access the affected hemithorax and excises one or more cystic lesions from the lung parenchyma; pleural procedures (e.g., decortication, pleurectomy, pleurodesis, or pleural biopsy) may be performed concurrently if indicated. Intraoperative steps include thoracotomy incision, retraction, identification of cyst(s), wedge resection or segmental resection of involved lung tissue, hemostasis, air leak testing, chest tube placement, and wound closure. Postoperative care includes chest radiography, chest tube management, pain control, respiratory therapy, monitoring for complications (bleeding, persistent air leak, pneumonia), and discharge planning with follow-up for pathology results and pulmonary recovery.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | Invalid or not used in Medicare modifier set (placeholder) | Not used clinically; included in payer lists but not applied to claims. |