CPT 34530 Saphenous-to-Popliteal Reimbursement | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 34530: Saphenous-to-Popliteal Vein Anastomosis

CPT code 34530 denotes a vascular surgical procedure near the knee in which the saphenous vein is divided and anastomosed to the popliteal vein. This procedural code captures a targeted lower-extremity venous reconstruction or bypass performed in an operating room or surgical suite, typically in inpatient or outpatient surgical settings. It matters nationally because it identifies a specific, resource-intensive vascular intervention with implications for surgical coding accuracy, reimbursement classification, and quality measurement.

Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical context for the procedure, expected sites of service, common billing modifiers (listed separately), and which payers are relevant for coverage and claims processing. The publication provides benchmarks for utilization and payment where available, notes applicable policy and coverage considerations, and highlights coding and clinical documentation elements that affect claims adjudication. The content is intended to inform coding professionals, billing managers, and policy analysts about the clinical scope and billing implications of CPT code 34530 at a national level.

Data not available in the input: associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, related codes, and payer-specific rates.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicareCPT 34530vascular surgerylower extremitysaphenous veinpopliteal veinsurgical procedureoperating roomvenous anastomosis

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 34530 describes a surgical procedure in which an incision is made near the knee to divide the saphenous vein and attach it to the popliteal vein. This procedure involves vascular surgical techniques to create an anastomosis between the saphenous and popliteal veins.

Service type: Surgical vascular procedure on lower extremity veins
Typical site of service: Operating room or surgical suite, commonly performed in hospital inpatient or outpatient surgical settings

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 62-year-old male with chronic venous insufficiency and recurrent venous stasis changes of the lower leg presents with persistent symptoms in the distal greater saphenous system despite conservative care (compression therapy, medical management). Venous duplex mapping demonstrates a segmental incompetent great saphenous vein with reflux in the thigh and a suitable popliteal vein recipient near the knee. The vascular surgeon schedules a surgical saphenous vein transposition with an incision near the knee, division of the saphenous vein and anastomosis to the popliteal vein to redirect venous outflow and reduce reflux-related symptoms.

Pre-procedure workflow includes preoperative evaluation, informed consent, surgical site marking, and review of venous duplex ultrasound. The patient is brought to an operating room or ambulatory surgical center and receives regional or general anesthesia. The surgeon makes a transverse incision near the knee, isolates and divides the saphenous vein, prepares the popliteal vein, and performs an end-to-side or end-to-end anastomosis of the saphenous to the popliteal vein. Hemostasis, layered closure, and dressing are completed. Postoperative care includes monitoring in PACU, anticoagulation as indicated, wound checks, compression therapy, and follow-up duplex imaging to confirm patency.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`00`	No modifier — standard reporting	Use for normal reporting when no modifier applies.

CPT 34510: Venous Valve Repair and Graft Replacement

CPT-34501-FEMORAL-VEIN-VALVE-REPAIR-THIGH-INCISION

CPT 34501: Femoral Vein Valve Repair via Thigh Incision

CPT-34502-VENA-CAVA-RECONSTRUCTION

CPT 34502: Vena Cava Reconstruction

CPT-34520-VENOUS-ANASTOMOSIS-DIVISION-AND-ATTACHMENT

CPT 34520: Venous Anastomosis with Division and Attachment

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207P00000X	Vascular Surgery	Primary specialty performing open venous reconstructions and transpositions.
2080P0002X	General Surgery	General surgeons with vascular training may perform this operative procedure.
2083P0005X	Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery	Cardiothoracic/vascular surgeons involved in complex venous reconstructions.
2084P0800X	Interventional Cardiology	Rarely involved in hybrid approaches; included for completeness.
207L00000X	Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery	In select reconstructive cases involving complex soft tissue management near the knee.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`I87.2`	Venous insufficiency (chronic) (peripheral)	Primary indication when refractory reflux causes symptoms and tissue changes prompting surgical intervention.
`I83.10`	Varicose veins of unspecified lower extremity with ulcer, unspecified	Advanced venous disease with ulceration may necessitate surgical venous reconstruction.
`I83.90`	Varicose veins of unspecified lower extremity without ulcer or inflammation	Common indication for interventions when symptomatic and conservative care fails.
`I80.2`	Phlebitis and thrombophlebitis of other deep vessels of lower extremities	May coexist; careful evaluation required prior to venous transposition.
`I97.2`	Postprocedural complications and disorders of the circulatory system, not elsewhere classified	Relevant for documenting complications or revisions related to prior venous procedures.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`34530`	Transposition of saphenous vein; division and reattachment to popliteal vein (incision near knee)	Primary procedure: surgical transposition/anastomosis to redirect venous flow.
`36011`	Introduction of needle and/or catheter into central vein for diagnostic injection, not otherwise specified	May be used preoperatively for venous pressure measurements or venography in complex cases.
`36818`	Ligation, open or percutaneous, of incompetent perforator vein(s), including injection if performed; 1 or 2 perforators	Performed concurrently or in staged procedures to address additional incompetent venous pathways.
`36482`	Endovenous ablation of incompetent vein, radiofrequency, percutaneous, thermal (endovenous occlusion)	Often performed in the overall treatment plan for chronic venous insufficiency; may be performed before or after open transposition.
`93970`	Duplex scan of extremity veins and venous mapping for pre- or post-procedure assessment	Used preoperatively to map reflux and postoperatively to assess graft/anastomosis patency.

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