Summary & Overview
CPT 35152: Repair of Ruptured Popliteal Artery Aneurysm
CPT code 35152 represents open surgical repair of a ruptured popliteal artery aneurysm via an incision below the knee, with direct arterial repair or placement of a graft. This procedure is clinically significant because popliteal artery aneurysms can lead to acute limb ischemia, rupture, or thrombosis, and timely vascular repair is critical to limb salvage and patient outcomes. Nationally, this code captures complex vascular surgery cases that often require specialized surgical teams and inpatient resources.
Key payers included in the analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical context for the procedure, typical sites of service, and which payers commonly cover claims for this service. The publication also outlines available benchmarks where present, notes applicable policy or coding considerations when provided, and highlights clinical factors that affect service utilization and billing for this type of vascular repair. Data not available in the input will be identified as such in relevant sections.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 35152 describes a surgical procedure to repair a ruptured aneurysm of the popliteal artery via an incision below the knee. The provider performs direct arterial repair or places a graft at the repair site to restore vascular integrity and limb perfusion.
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Service type: Open vascular surgical repair of popliteal artery aneurysm
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Typical site of service: Inpatient or outpatient surgical setting, commonly performed in an operating room with vascular surgery capability
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 68-year-old male with hypertension, smoking history, and peripheral arterial disease presents with acute right calf pain, swelling, and a pulsatile mass behind the knee. Duplex ultrasound and CTA confirm a ruptured popliteal artery aneurysm with expanding hematoma and compromised distal perfusion. The vascular surgery team prepares the patient for urgent open repair.
The clinical workflow includes preoperative vascular imaging, anesthesia evaluation (general or regional), informed consent, perioperative antibiotics, surgical exposure through a below-knee posterior or medial incision, direct repair or interposition graft (autogenous vein or prosthetic) of the popliteal artery, intraoperative assessment of distal pulses and completion angiography as needed, wound closure, postoperative monitoring in a step-down or intensive care setting with anticoagulation as indicated, and scheduled follow-up for duplex surveillance.
Typical site of service: inpatient operating room in an acute care hospital.
Service type: open vascular surgical repair of a ruptured popliteal artery aneurysm.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
11 | Normal status, no modifier or default reporting | Use when the procedure is performed as planned without unusual circumstances. |