CPT code 32997 identifies a therapeutic bronchoscopic lung lavage procedure in which the lung is irrigated with saline under bronchoscopic guidance to remove secretions or pathological material. Nationally, this procedure matters for acute respiratory care pathways, critical care management, and hospital-based bronchoscopy services because it is performed for a range of respiratory conditions that require direct airway clearance and targeted removal of material not amenable to suctioning alone. Payers commonly covering or adjudicating claims for this service include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare.

Readers will find clinical and billing context for when CPT code 32997 is used, typical sites of service, and how the procedure fits into hospital-based respiratory care. The publication provides benchmarks and claims patterns where available, notes on payer coverage considerations, and policy-related updates that affect coding and reimbursement for bronchoscopic therapeutic interventions. The content is designed to support coding accuracy, payer communication, and operational planning for facilities that perform bronchoscopy and therapeutic lung lavage. Data not available in the input will be identified as such in the relevant sections.