Summary & Overview
CPT 34842: Fenestrated Endograft Repair of Visceral Aorta
CPT code 34842 identifies endovascular repair of the visceral aorta using a fenestrated endograft with placement of additional visceral artery endoprostheses under radiologic guidance. This complex, image-guided vascular procedure addresses disease of the upper abdominal aorta involving the celiac, superior mesenteric, and renal arteries and is a critical treatment option for anatomically challenging aneurysms or aortic pathology that risks visceral perfusion.
Nationally, use of CPT code 34842 reflects care delivered in hospital settings such as catheterization laboratories or hybrid operating rooms staffed by interventional radiology and vascular surgery teams. Key payers commonly covering services of this type in national analyses include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Payer policies vary on prior authorization, documentation requirements, and facility versus professional payment splits.
Readers will find context on the clinical intent of the code, the typical service environment, and the payer landscape. The publication summarizes benchmarking elements, common billing modifiers and claims considerations, and relevant clinical context to help billing, coding, and policy audiences understand where this code fits in vascular service lines. Data not available in the input for specific reimbursement rates, ICD-10 pairings, and taxonomies are noted as unavailable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 34842 describes endovascular repair of the visceral aorta using a fenestrated endograft with supplementary visceral artery endoprostheses placed under radiological guidance. This procedure targets the upper abdominal aorta in the region of the celiac, superior mesenteric, and renal arteries and involves placement of a fenestrated device to preserve flow to visceral branches while excluding aneurysmal or diseased aortic segments.
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Service type: Endovascular aortic repair with fenestrated endograft and visceral artery endoprostheses
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Typical site of service: Hospital catheterization lab or operating room with interventional radiology or vascular surgery support
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 72-year-old male with a 6.5 cm juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm involving the origins of the celiac, superior mesenteric, and renal arteries presents for elective endovascular repair. Preoperative CTA confirms a suitable landing zone above the aneurysm and anatomy compatible with a fenestrated endograft. Under general anesthesia in a hybrid endovascular suite with fluoroscopic and digital subtraction angiography, the vascular surgeon and interventional radiologist obtain bilateral femoral arterial access, perform intraoperative angiography to map visceral branches, advance and deploy a fenestrated aortic endograft under radiological guidance to align fenestrations with visceral ostia, and then place two additional visceral artery endoprostheses (covered stents) into the renal and superior mesenteric arteries through the graft fenestrations to secure branch perfusion. Hemostasis is achieved at access sites and the patient is transferred to the recovery unit for monitoring of renal function, lower-extremity perfusion, and access-site complications.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when reporting only the physician interpretation component for covered imaging services performed separately from facility technical component during the procedure. |
62 |