Summary & Overview
CPT 33944: Donor Heart Preparation for Transplantation
CPT code 33944 captures the surgical preparation of a donor heart received in cold preservation for transplantation. This code documents intraoperative work by the transplant surgeon to inspect the donated organ, repair or suture donor vessels, remove blood clots, and excise portions of the pulmonary artery and aorta as needed prior to implantation. Nationally, accurate use of this code is important for documenting transplant operative complexity, supporting quality reporting, and ensuring consistent clinical records across transplant centers.
Key payers considered include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of the clinical context for 33944, typical sites of service, and the procedural elements that distinguish this donor-organ preparation service from other transplant-related codes. The publication also summarizes common billing modifiers associated with transplant surgery and identifies areas where policy updates or payer-specific coverage rules commonly affect claims processing. Clinicians and billing professionals will gain clarity on when to use CPT code 33944, what documentation supports its use, and where to look for payer-specific guidance. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 33944 describes preparation of a donor heart received in cold preservation for transplantation into a recipient. The procedure includes inspection of the donor heart, excision or suturing of donor blood vessels as needed, removal of any blood clots, and excision of the pulmonary artery and aorta when necessary.
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Service type: Surgical preparation of a donor organ for transplantation
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Typical site of service: Operating room or transplant surgical suite
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 45-year-old male donor heart is procured at a referring hospital and transported in cold preservation solution to the transplant center. The cardiac surgeon receives the donor organ in the operating room immediately before orthotopic heart transplantation. The surgeon inspects the donor heart for anatomic integrity, removes any visible thrombus from the cardiac chambers and attached vessels, and performs any required repairs to the great vessel cuffs, coronary ostia, or valves. The surgeon may excise the pulmonary artery and aortic cuffs to prepare anastomotic margins. This preparation occurs on the back table or within the sterile field during the transplant procedure. The typical workflow includes organ arrival and verification, back-table preparation and inspection, necessary vessel trimming or suture repair, and handing the prepared heart to the implantation team for recipient anastomosis. Typical site of service is an inpatient operating room in a tertiary care center with cardiothoracic surgery and transplant services. Typical patient scenario: an adult recipient with end-stage heart failure undergoing orthotopic heart transplantation; donor heart preparation coded separately with 33944 to reflect the surgeon’s work preparing the organ for implantation.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier | Standard reporting when no other modifier applies |