Summary & Overview
CPT 33917: Pulmonary Artery Stenosis Repair with Patch or Graft
CPT code 33917 represents surgical repair of pulmonary artery stenosis by patch or graft enlargement. This cardiothoracic procedure is clinically significant because it restores pulmonary blood flow in patients with obstructive lesions of the pulmonary artery, often performed in complex congenital or acquired cardiopulmonary disease. Nationally, the code is relevant for hospital billing, case mix classification, and specialty surgical reimbursement for thoracic and pediatric cardiac surgery services.
Key payers included in the analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context, common sites of service, and how the code is used in billing workflows. The publication outlines typical utilization patterns, expected place-of-service (inpatient operating room), and common modifiers used with surgical specialty codes.
The report provides benchmarks where available, discusses policy considerations that affect coverage and authorization for complex cardiothoracic procedures, and summarizes coding practice points for documentation and claim submission. Data not provided in the input are noted where relevant. The summary is written for a national audience of payers, hospital billing leaders, and surgical service line managers seeking an efficient reference on 33917.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 33917 describes surgical repair of a pulmonary artery stenosis using a patch or graft to enlarge the narrowed arterial segment. The procedure addresses an abnormal narrowing that impedes normal blood flow through the pulmonary artery.
Service type: Cardiothoracic surgical procedure (arterial repair/enlargement)
Typical site of service: Inpatient hospital operating room
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a child or young adult with congenital or acquired pulmonary artery stenosis causing right ventricular outflow obstruction, right ventricular hypertrophy, exertional dyspnea, chest pain, syncope, or progressive cyanosis. Presentation often follows echocardiographic or cardiac MRI evidence of a discrete or long-segment stenosis of the main, branch, or bifurcation pulmonary arteries with pressure gradients or right ventricular dysfunction. Preoperative workflow includes cardiology evaluation, imaging (echocardiography, CTA or MRA), cardiac catheterization for hemodynamic assessment and angiography, anesthetic evaluation, and informed consent. In the operating room, a cardiothoracic surgeon performs 33917 — pulmonary artery patch or graft enlargement — under cardiopulmonary bypass or selective circulatory management. Postoperative care occurs in a pediatric or adult cardiac intensive care unit with hemodynamic monitoring, anticoagulation or antiplatelet management as indicated, and follow-up imaging to confirm relief of stenosis and assess for residual gradients or complications such as graft stenosis, bleeding, or infection.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier | Standard reporting when no other modifier applies |