Summary & Overview
CPT 34702: Aorto–Aortic Tube Endograft for Ruptured Infrarenal Aorta
CPT code 34702 represents endovascular repair using an aorto–aortic tube endograft for a ruptured infrarenal aorta. This procedure code is used for acute, often life‑threatening presentations and captures comprehensive intraoperative activities including device sizing, temporary balloon occlusion, adjunct angioplasty or stenting, and radiological supervision. Nationally, accurate use of this CPT code matters for clinical documentation, hospital billing for emergent vascular surgery, and aggregation of procedural volumes that inform capacity and quality metrics.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of the code’s clinical scope, typical sites of service, and the kinds of intra‑procedural services bundled into the code. The publication also provides benchmarks and payer coverage context where available, discusses common modifiers encountered in practice, and outlines implications for claims submission and coding compliance in emergent vascular procedures.
This summary is intended for clinicians, coding professionals, and policy analysts seeking a clear, national‑level description of CPT code 34702, its clinical context, and the operational considerations relevant to hospital and payer interactions.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 34702 describes placement of an aorto–aortic tube endograft to repair a ruptured infrarenal aorta. The code encompasses pre-procedure sizing and device selection, nonselective catheterization, temporary aortic or iliac balloon occlusion, angioplasty or stenting, endograft extensions performed from the renal arteries to the aortic bifurcation, and all radiological supervision and interpretation.
Service type: Endovascular aortic repair for ruptured infrarenal aortic aneurysm
Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or hybrid endovascular suite (inpatient or emergent care setting)
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a 68-year-old male presenting to the emergency department with sudden severe abdominal and back pain, hypotension, and a pulsatile abdominal mass. Imaging with contrast-enhanced CT demonstrates a ruptured infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm involving the segment below the renal arteries. The vascular surgery and interventional radiology teams coordinate emergent endovascular repair. The clinical workflow includes: pre-procedure sizing and device selection using CT measurements and intraprocedural angiography; percutaneous or cutdown arterial access (commonly femoral); nonselective aortic angiography to confirm anatomy; temporary aortic or iliac balloon occlusion as needed for hemorrhage control; placement of an aorto–aortic tube endograft from just below the renal arteries to above the aortic bifurcation; any necessary endograft extensions, angioplasty, or adjunct stenting; completion angiography to confirm exclusion of the rupture and limb perfusion; and post-procedure hemodynamic stabilization and intensive care monitoring. Typical site of service is an operating room or hybrid endovascular suite within a hospital, often billed as an emergent inpatient procedure. Patient modifiers may reflect emergency status, bilateral procedures, assistant surgeon involvement, or surgeon specialty.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
11 | Normal procedural service | When this is the primary, standard level of service provided without unusual circumstances |