CPT 35207 Vessel Repair — Reimbursement & Policy | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 35207: Vessel Repair/Ligation, Hand or Finger

CPT code 35207 represents a focused operative vascular procedure on a vessel of the hand or finger, involving incision, hemorrhage control, and vessel closure. This procedure is clinically important for treating traumatic or iatrogenic vascular injuries in the distal upper extremity and has implications for surgical workflow, facility utilization, and payer coverage policies nationwide. Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical context for CPT code 35207, typical sites of service, and payer coverage considerations. The publication summarizes common billing modifiers associated with this code, outlines expected service line and facility settings, and highlights where data is not available in the input. It also provides benchmarks and policy-relevant points that payers and provider billing teams commonly monitor, such as operative setting distinctions and documentation elements that support medical necessity. The content is intended for a national audience of clinicians, coding professionals, and policy analysts seeking a clear reference on the code’s clinical meaning, service implications, and the payers typically involved in reimbursement and coverage decisions.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicareCPT 35207vascular surgeryhand surgeryoperative procedureambulatory surgerybillingmedical codingprocedure coding

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 35207 describes a surgical procedure in which the provider makes an incision over an affected vessel in the hand or finger, controls bleeding in the vessel, and closes the vessel. This procedure is a vessel repair/ligation in the hand or finger.

Service type: Operative vascular procedure of the hand/finger
Typical site of service: Ambulatory surgical center or hospital operating room, depending on clinical complexity and patient factors

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

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A patient presents to an outpatient hand surgery clinic or the emergency department after sustaining a laceration to the palmar surface of the hand or a digit from a sharp object. The clinician performs focused neurovascular and tendon exams to evaluate arterial bleeding, capillary refill, pulse, and motor/sensory function. If bleeding originates from a discrete vessel and hemostasis cannot be achieved with direct pressure alone, the patient is taken to a procedure room or minor operating room. Under local anesthesia with or without sedation, the surgeon makes a targeted incision over the bleeding vessel in the hand or finger, isolates and controls the vessel (ligation or suturing), confirms hemostasis, irrigates and closes the wound. Standard postoperative steps include dressing the site, providing tetanus prophylaxis as indicated, prescribing analgesia or antibiotics if clinically warranted, and arranging short-term follow-up for wound check and removal of sutures. Typical site of service is an outpatient ambulatory surgery center, hospital outpatient department, or emergency department procedure room. Typical service type is a minor vascular control/ligation procedure of a peripheral hand or digital vessel.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`26`	Professional component	When reporting only the physician’s professional portion of a service that has a separate technical component.

CPT 35226: Repair of Lower Extremity Blood Vessel

CPT-35271-INTRATHORACIC-VESSEL-REPAIR-NONVENOUS-GRAFT-BYPASS

CPT 35271: Intrathoracic Vessel Repair with Non‑venous Graft and Bypass

CPT-35211-INTRATHORACIC-VESSEL-REPAIR-CARDIOPULMONARY-BYPASS

CPT 35211: Repair of Ruptured Intrathoracic Vessel with Cardiopulmonary Bypass

CPT-35256-LOWER-EXTREMITY-ARTERIAL-REPAIR-WITH-VEIN-GRAFT

CPT 35256: Lower Extremity Blood Vessel Repair with Vein Graft

CPT-35276-INTRATHORACIC-VESSEL-REPAIR-NON-VENOUS-GRAFT-NO-BYPASS

CPT 35276: Intrathoracic Blood Vessel Repair with Non‑Venous Graft, No Bypass

CPT-35231-NECK-VESSEL-REPAIR-WITH-VEIN-GRAFT

CPT 35231: Repair of Neck Blood Vessel with Vein Graft

CPT-35246-INTRATHORACIC-VASCULAR-REPAIR-VEIN-GRAFT-NO-BYPASS

CPT 35246: Intrathoracic Blood Vessel Repair with Vein Graft, No Bypass

CPT-35206-UPPER-EXTREMITY-VASCULAR-REPAIR

CPT 35206: Upper Extremity Vascular Repair

CPT-35281-INTRA-ABDOMINAL-VESSEL-REPAIR-NON-VENOUS-GRAFT

CPT 35281: Intra‑abdominal Vessel Repair with Non‑Venous Graft

CPT-35236-UPPER-EXTREMITY-ARTERIAL-REPAIR-WITH-VEIN-GRAFT

CPT 35236: Upper-Extremity Arterial Repair with Vein Graft

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Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207X00000X	Orthopedic Surgery	Hand and upper extremity surgeons commonly perform digital vessel control and repair.
208000000X	General Surgery	General surgeons with hand surgery experience in acute laceration/trauma settings may perform this.
207L00000X	Plastic Surgery	Plastic and reconstructive surgeons are commonly involved in complex hand and digital vessel repairs.
363LA2200X	Vascular Surgery	Vascular surgeons may be involved when peripheral vessel injury is complex or extends proximally.
2086S0125X	Emergency Medicine	Emergency physicians often perform bedside vessel control or initial operative control in the ED.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`S61.221A`	Laceration without foreign body of right index finger with damage to nail, initial encounter	Digital lacerations commonly cause bleeding from discrete vessels requiring control.
`S61.222A`	Laceration without foreign body of left index finger with damage to nail, initial encounter	Same as above for the left-sided injury.
`S61.231A`	Laceration without foreign body of right middle finger, initial encounter	Finger lacerations often involve small arterial or venous branches needing ligation.
`S61.232A`	Laceration without foreign body of left middle finger, initial encounter	Contralateral finger laceration code variant.
`S61.311A`	Laceration without foreign body of right thumb with damage to nail, initial encounter	Thumb injuries can involve digital vessels requiring targeted vessel control.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`10120`	Incision and removal of foreign body, subcutaneous tissues; simple	Performed if foreign bodies are present in the wound before vessel control or closure.
`12001`	Simple repair of superficial wounds of face, ears, eyelids, nose, mucous membranes; 2.5 cm or less	Performed for superficial skin closure adjunct to vascular control when small lacerations are repaired.
`26010`	Repair, tendon sheath, extensor or flexor, primary or secondary; simple, single tendon	Performed when tendon injury is identified and repaired during the same operative encounter.
`36415`	Collection of venous blood by venipuncture	Performed preoperatively for labs, including crossmatch if significant hemorrhage is suspected.
`36000`	Introduction of needle/ catheter into vein for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes	Performed if IV access is required for sedation, anesthesia, or transfusion during the procedure.

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