Summary & Overview
CPT 35151: Popliteal Artery Aneurysm Repair
CPT code 35151 denotes open surgical repair of an aneurysm or pseudoaneurysm of the popliteal artery via an incision below the knee, with either direct arterial repair or graft placement. This code captures a specialized vascular surgery that carries implications for hospital resource use, perioperative risk management, and post-operative surveillance. Nationally, procedures coded with 35151 are relevant to vascular surgery practices, hospital surgical departments, and payers managing complex surgical benefit design.
Key payers considered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical context for the procedure, common billing considerations, and the typical sites of service. The publication outlines expected documentation elements linked to the operative approach and repair method, and highlights areas where policy and billing clarity can affect coverage and payment processes.
This report provides benchmarks and policy-oriented updates relevant to billing and reimbursement for popliteal artery aneurysm repair, practical guidance on coding considerations tied to operative technique, and a concise summary of payer coverage themes. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 35151 describes a surgical procedure in which the provider makes an incision below the knee to access an aneurysm or pseudoaneurysm of the popliteal artery and then performs direct repair or places a graft at the repair site. This procedure is a vascular surgical repair of the popliteal artery.
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Service type: Open vascular surgical repair
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Typical site of service: Operating room or surgical suite, commonly in a hospital inpatient or outpatient surgical center
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a 68-year-old male with a history of peripheral arterial disease and hypertension who presents with a pulsatile, painful swelling behind the knee and intermittent claudication. Duplex ultrasound and CT angiography confirm a 3.2 cm popliteal artery aneurysm with mural thrombus and worsening distal ischemic symptoms. The vascular surgery team schedules an open popliteal artery aneurysm repair via a posterior approach. In the operating room under general anesthesia, the surgeon makes an incision below the knee in the popliteal fossa to expose the popliteal artery, controls proximal and distal inflow/outflow, evacuates thrombus as needed, and performs direct arterial repair or interposition grafting (autogenous vein or prosthetic) based on vessel quality. Postoperative care includes limb perfusion monitoring, antiplatelet therapy, duplex surveillance, and wound care. Typical stakeholders in workflow: emergency/clinic evaluation, vascular lab/imaging, preoperative anesthesia assessment, vascular surgery operative team, post-anesthesia care unit, and inpatient vascular nursing for monitoring and discharge planning.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when work, time, or difficulty substantially greater than typical. |
23 |