CPT 33882 Thoracic Branched TEVAR Reimbursement | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 33882: Thoracic Branched Endovascular Aortic Graft Repair

CPT code 33882 designates a branched thoracic endovascular aortic repair using an aorto–aortic tube device with a fenestration for placement of an additional stent graft into the left subclavian artery. This complex endovascular service encompasses preprocedure sizing and device selection, nonselective and selective catheterization (including the left subclavian artery), intraoperative imaging guidance and interpretation, and balloon angioplasty within the treatment zone. The code is clinically significant given rising use of endovascular techniques to treat thoracic aortic pathology while minimizing open surgical morbidity.

Key payers addressed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find national-level context on clinical application and coding scope, payer coverage considerations, and benchmarking and policy-oriented content where available. The publication outlines what claims administrators and clinicians need to know about service inclusions in the code description, typical sites of service (hospital catheterization lab, hybrid OR, or interventional radiology suite), and procedural components bundled into the code.

This resource provides concise guidance on code intent and clinical context, a summary of payer coverage landscape, and references to related services and coding practice. Data not available in the input is clearly noted where applicable.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicareCPT 33882thoracic endovascular aortic repairTEVARendograftvascular surgeryinterventional radiologyaortic fenestrationhybrid operating room

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 33882 describes endovascular repair of the thoracic aorta using a branched endovascular graft system (endograft or stent graft) that includes an aorto–aortic tube device with a fenestration for placement of an additional stent graft into the left subclavian artery. The procedure may include extension of the graft downward toward the celiac artery when needed. The service covers device sizing and selection, nonselective catheterization, selective catheterization of the left subclavian artery, imaging guidance and interpretation, and balloon angioplasty within the treatment zone.

Service type: Endovascular thoracic aortic branched graft repair (branched thoracic endovascular aortic repair)
Typical site of service: Hospital-based vascular surgery or interventional radiology suite; commonly performed in a catheterization lab or hybrid operating room under fluoroscopic imaging

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 72-year-old male with a symptomatic thoracic aortic aneurysm involving the proximal descending thoracic aorta and an anatomically involved left subclavian artery is evaluated for endovascular repair. Preprocedural workup includes contrast-enhanced CT angiography for sizing and planning, cardiopulmonary risk assessment, and informed consent discussing a branched endovascular graft repair with possible coverage of the left subclavian artery origin. In the hybrid endovascular suite, the vascular surgery and interventional radiology teams perform intraprocedural digital subtraction angiography and fusion imaging guidance. The operator deploys a branched aortic endograft (aorto–aortic tube device with a fenestration) and selectively catheterizes the left subclavian artery through the graft fenestration to place a covered stent into that branch. Nonselective catheterizations and imaging for device positioning are performed; balloon angioplasty within the treatment zone is used to optimize graft apposition. The procedure includes device selection and sizing based on preprocedure measurements, and completion angiography confirms exclusion of the aneurysm and branch patency. Typical sites of service are an endovascular operating room, hybrid OR, or hospital-based catheterization lab. The service type is an endovascular aortic repair procedure (branched thoracic endovascular aortic repair) performed by endovascular surgeons, vascular surgeons, or interventional radiologists, with intraoperative imaging and potential postoperative ICU or step-down monitoring for hemodynamic and neurologic observation.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`26`

CPT 33881: Endovascular Repair of Thoracic Aorta, No Left Subclavian Coverage

CPT-33886-THORACIC-AORTIC-DISTAL-EXTENSION-ENDOGRAFT

CPT 33886: Thoracic Aortic Distal Extension Endograft Placement

CPT-33880-ENDOVASCULAR-THORACIC-AORTIC-REPAIR-LEFT-SUBCLAVIAN-COVERAGE

CPT 33880: Endovascular Repair of Thoracic Aorta Covering Left Subclavian Origin

CPT-33883-THORACIC-AORTA-PROXIMAL-ENDOGRAFT-EXTENSION

CPT 33883: Thoracic Aorta Proximal Endograft Extension

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207RG0400X	Vascular Surgery	Primary specialty performing thoracic endovascular aortic repairs.
2080P0207X	Thoracic Surgery	Thoracic/vascular surgeons who perform complex aortic procedures.
174400000X	Interventional Radiology	Image-guided endovascular interventions and graft deployments.
2085P0200X	Cardiothoracic Surgery	Surgeons involved in complex aortic arch and thoracic work when open or hybrid approaches are used.
363LF0000X	Vascular Medicine	Consultants for perioperative vascular management and medical optimization.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
Data not available in the input.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`33880`	Thoracic aortic stent graft placement, including intraprocedural imaging and all catheterizations, without branch device (single endograft)	May be used for simpler thoracic endovascular aortic repairs without a fenestrated/branched device; represents an alternative technique.
`36200`	Selective catheterization, arterial, cervical, with angiography, radiological supervision and interpretation	Used when selective catheterization of arch branch vessels (e.g., left subclavian) is performed separate from primary device deployment if reported separately.
`75894`	Transcatheter placement of intravascular stent(s), including radiological supervision and interpretation; initial vessel	Used to report placement of a covered stent into the left subclavian artery branch when coding for the stent deployment is required by payer rules.
`37197`	Endovascular repair of blood vessel with stent graft (excluding aortic arch branch device)	Related endovascular stent graft coding for peripheral or visceral extensions; may be relevant when extension to the celiac axis is performed.
`33405`	Repair of thoracic aorta, open, with replacement of aortic segment; with or without cardiopulmonary bypass	Represents an open surgical alternative; relevant for cases converted to open repair.

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