CPT code 35188 represents surgical repair of an acquired or traumatic arteriovenous fistula of the head or neck, performed through an incision to directly access and repair the abnormal connection between an artery and vein. Nationally, this code captures procedures that address potentially serious vascular injuries or complications affecting cerebral or cervical circulation and informs payment, quality measurement, and utilization monitoring across acute and ambulatory surgical settings.

Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context for the procedure, typical sites of service, and the scope of services represented by the code. The publication also summarizes benchmarks and payer coverage considerations where available, highlights relevant coding and billing contexts for hospital and ambulatory settings, and outlines areas for policy attention such as utilization trends and reimbursement alignment. National stakeholders — including hospital administrators, vascular and head & neck surgeons, and coding professionals — will gain a clear understanding of what CPT code 35188 denotes, why it matters for care delivery and billing, and which payers commonly encounter claims for this service.

Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, related codes, and payer-specific reimbursement details.