Summary & Overview
CPT 33750: Subclavian-to-Pulmonary Artery Shunt (Blalock–Taussig)
CPT code 33750 represents the surgical creation of a systemic-to-pulmonary shunt (Blalock–Taussig type) connecting the subclavian and pulmonary arteries to improve pulmonary blood flow and systemic oxygenation in patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease. This palliative cardiac surgical procedure is clinically significant nationwide because it provides temporizing respiratory and hemodynamic support for neonates and children awaiting definitive corrective or reparative cardiac surgery. Payers commonly covering this service in national analyses include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare.
Readers will find a concise clinical and billing overview, typical care settings, common modifiers, and payer coverage context. The publication outlines benchmarking components and policy-relevant considerations tied to cardiac surgical services and inpatient hospital billing. Clinical context emphasizes that the procedure is palliative and usually performed in an inpatient operating room or cardiac surgery center within tertiary hospitals. Where input fields were not provided, such as associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, and related codes, the text notes that those items are not available in the input. The piece is intended to inform coding professionals, hospital administrators, and policy analysts about the clinical purpose, service setting, and payer landscape relevant to CPT code 33750.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 33750 describes a surgical creation of a shunt between the subclavian artery and the pulmonary artery (Blalock-Taussig type shunt). The procedure establishes a bypass channel to divert blood and improve pulmonary blood flow and systemic oxygenation for patients with cyanosis due to congenital heart defects when native pulmonary blood flow is insufficient. This intervention is typically performed as a temporary, palliative measure until definitive corrective cardiac surgery can be undertaken.
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Service type: Surgical cardiac procedure (palliative systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt)
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Typical site of service: Inpatient operating room or cardiac surgery suite, often within a tertiary care hospital or pediatric cardiac center
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an infant or young child with cyanotic congenital heart disease causing reduced pulmonary blood flow (for example, tetralogy of Fallot with severe pulmonary stenosis or pulmonary atresia). The child presents with persistent central cyanosis, hypoxemia, and episodes of hypercyanotic spells despite medical management. Diagnostic workup includes echocardiography, pulse oximetry, chest radiography, and often cardiac catheterization to define pulmonary artery anatomy and pulmonary blood flow.
In the operative workflow, a pediatric cardiothoracic surgical team performs a surgical systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt (Blalock–Taussig shunt) — CPT 33750 — typically under general anesthesia in an operating room with cardiothoracic capability. The procedure creates a conduit between a systemic artery (commonly the subclavian or innominate artery) and a pulmonary artery to augment pulmonary blood flow. Perioperative steps include preoperative imaging and labs, induction of anesthesia, surgical exposure of the subclavian and pulmonary artery, creation and anastomosis of the shunt (often using a prosthetic graft), meticulous hemostasis, and chest closure with or without chest tube placement. Postoperative care occurs in a pediatric cardiac intensive care unit with monitoring of oxygenation, hemodynamics, anticoagulation as indicated, and planning for definitive corrective surgery at a later date.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
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