Summary & Overview
CPT 33897: Transcatheter Angioplasty for Aortic Coarctation
CPT code 33897 denotes a transcatheter, minimally invasive angioplasty to widen coarctation of the aorta, a congenital narrowing that can impair systemic blood flow. This procedure is a key endovascular alternative to open surgical repair and is used to reduce pressure gradients and improve hemodynamics in affected patients. Nationally, the code is relevant to hospitals, cardiac catheterization laboratories, and specialists managing congenital and structural heart disease.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context, typical sites of service, and payer relevance, along with what to expect in billing and reimbursement benchmarking. The publication also outlines common modifiers and related administrative considerations where available.
The report provides: clinical context for when transcatheter angioplasty for coarctation is applied; a summary of payer coverage considerations and common modifiers used in practice; and guidance on interpreting related service lines and coding relationships. Data not available in the input will be noted as such in relevant sections. The content is intended for a national audience of hospital administrators, cardiology program directors, and revenue cycle professionals.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 33897 describes a minimally invasive angioplasty procedure to widen coarctation of the aorta, a congenital narrowing of the aortic segment. The procedure involves transcatheter dilation of the narrowed aortic segment to improve blood flow and reduce pressure gradients across the coarctation.
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Service type: Endovascular intervention (transcatheter angioplasty for congenital aortic coarctation)
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Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or cardiac catheterization laboratory
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A neonate or child with congenital coarctation of the aorta presents with differential blood pressures between upper and lower extremities, weak femoral pulses, and symptoms of heart failure or systemic hypertension. After confirmatory imaging with transthoracic echocardiography and cross-sectional imaging (CT angiography or MRI) demonstrating a discrete aortic narrowing (coarctation) amenable to catheter-based therapy, the interventional cardiology team schedules a transcatheter balloon angioplasty or balloon angioplasty with stent placement using a minimally invasive femoral arterial approach.
The clinical workflow includes pre-procedure evaluation (history, focused exam, baseline labs, review of prior imaging), informed consent, general anesthesia or monitored anesthesia care, vascular access (typically femoral artery), hemodynamic assessment, angiographic localization of the coarctation, balloon angioplasty ± stent deployment as needed to relieve the gradient, post-dilation angiography to confirm results and exclude complications (dissection, aneurysm), vascular closure, and post-procedure monitoring in a pediatric cardiac recovery area or ICU. Antithrombotic management and blood pressure control are provided per institutional protocol. Discharge occurs once hemodynamically stable with outpatient cardiology follow-up arranged.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when reporting only the physician professional component separated from technical services if applicable (rare for this surgical/interventional code). |