CPT 36002 Thrombotic Injection Reimbursement | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 36002: Injection of Thrombotic Agent into Arm or Leg Pseudoaneurysm

CPT code 36002 represents the percutaneous injection of a blood clotting (thrombotic) agent into a pseudoaneurysm of the arm or leg. This targeted endovascular procedure is used to thrombose the pseudoaneurysm and reduce the risk of rupture or continued hemorrhage. Nationally, the code identifies a distinct interventional radiology or vascular access service with implications for facility and professional billing, utilization tracking, and quality monitoring.

Key payers covered in the analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of clinical context for pseudoaneurysm thrombotic injection, typical sites of service, and payer coverage considerations. The publication provides benchmarking where available, common billing modifiers and coding considerations, and policy or coverage update summaries relevant to this procedure.

The content is intended for revenue cycle leaders, interventional radiologists, vascular surgeons, compliance officers, and policy analysts seeking a concise reference on how CPT code 36002 is used, reimbursed, and categorized across major payers. Data not available in the input will be noted where applicable.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicareCPT 36002pseudoaneurysmthrombotic injectioninterventional radiologyvascular procedureambulatory surgeryhospital outpatientprocedure coding

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 36002 describes the injection of a blood clotting agent into a pseudoaneurysm located in an arm or leg. This service is a targeted, image-guided endovascular procedure performed to thrombose a pseudoaneurysm and prevent rupture or ongoing bleeding.

Service type: Image-guided endovascular injection of thrombotic agent
Typical site of service: Hospital outpatient department, ambulatory surgical center, or interventional radiology suite

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 62-year-old patient presents to the vascular interventional suite with a painful, pulsatile swelling at the site of a recent arterial catheterization in the femoral region of the leg. Duplex ultrasound confirms a pseudoaneurysm of the common femoral artery with a persistent neck and slow-to-moderate flow. The interventional radiologist or vascular surgeon prepares for percutaneous injection of a thrombotic (blood clotting) agent into the pseudoaneurysm sac under ultrasound guidance to induce thrombosis and exclude the pseudoaneurysm from the arterial circulation. Typical workflow includes pre-procedure consent and coagulation assessment, sterile preparation in an outpatient ambulatory surgery center or hospital interventional radiology suite, ultrasound guidance for localization and needle placement, injection of the thrombotic agent (e.g., thrombin) into the sac while monitoring flow cessation, post-procedure ultrasound to confirm thrombosis, compression or sheath management if needed, recovery with observation for bleeding or limb ischemia, and discharge with follow-up instructions. Typical sites of service are an ambulatory surgery center, hospital outpatient department, or interventional radiology suite. The service type is an image-guided percutaneous vascular therapeutic procedure on an arm or leg pseudoaneurysm.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`11`	Normal, day-to-day service	Use when the service is the physician’s usual service and no unusual circumstances apply.

CPT 36014: Selective Pulmonary Artery Angiography

CPT-36015-SELECTIVE-PULMONARY-ARTERY-ANGIOGRAPHY-CATHETER-PLACEMENT

CPT 36015: Selective Pulmonary Artery Catheterization for Angiography

CPT-36005-EXTREMITY-VENOGRAPHY-CONTRAST-INJECTION

CPT 36005: Extremity Venography with Contrast Injection

CPT-36011-FIRST-ORDER-BRANCH-VEIN-CATHETER-PLACEMENT

CPT 36011: First-Order Branch Vein Catheter Placement, Diagnostic/Therapeutic

CPT-36012-SELECTIVE-CATHETERIZATION-SECOND-ORDER-VENOUS-BRANCH

CPT 36012: Selective Catheterization of Second-Order Venous Branch

CPT-36013-RIGHT-HEART-MAIN-PULMONARY-ARTERY-CATHETER-INTRODUCTION-ANGIOGRAPHY

CPT 36013: Right Heart/Main Pulmonary Artery Catheter Introduction for Angiography

CPT-36000-VENOUS-ACCESS-NEEDLE-OR-INTRACATHETER-INSERTION

CPT 36000: Venous Access — Needle or Intracatheter Insertion

CPT-36010-CENTRAL-VENOUS-CATHETERIZATION-CAVA-ANGIOGRAPHY-ANGIOPLASTY

CPT 36010: Central Venous Catheterization for Cardiac Angiography/Angioplasty

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`207RG0100X`	Interventional Radiology	Common provider performing ultrasound-guided thrombin injection of pseudoaneurysms.
`207XS0103X`	Vascular Surgery	Vascular surgeons commonly perform percutaneous pseudoaneurysm treatments.
`207P00000X`	Diagnostic Radiology	Radiologists with procedural practice performing image-guided injections.
`208200000X`	General Surgery	General surgeons with vascular competency may perform this procedure.
`2084P0800X`	Emergency Medicine	Emergency physicians may treat femoral pseudoaneurysms in acute settings.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`I72.6`	Aneurysm of other specified arteries	May describe a peripheral arterial aneurysm/pseudoaneurysm relevant to limb arterial injury.
`I77.1`	Stricture of artery	May be relevant when arterial injury or pathology contributes to pseudoaneurysm formation.
`S45.011A`	Puncture wound without foreign body of right femoral artery, initial encounter	Traumatic arterial puncture leading to pseudoaneurysm after catheterization or injury.
`S45.012A`	Puncture wound without foreign body of left femoral artery, initial encounter	As above for left-sided injuries.
`T82.718A`	Other complication of vascular prosthetic devices, implants and grafts, initial encounter	May be relevant if pseudoaneurysm arises at graft or device site.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`76937`	Ultrasound guidance for vascular access requiring ultrasound evaluation and documentation	Used for ultrasound guidance and localization when placing needle into the pseudoaneurysm sac.
`36470`	Endovenous ablation therapy of incompetent vein, extremity, non-thermal, non-tumescent technique (if applicable)	Occasionally performed in the same session for concomitant venous procedures when appropriate (use only when clinically indicated).
`36010`	Introduction of needle or catheter into femoral artery for diagnostic angiography, without sheath and diagnostic imaging	May be performed before or after to evaluate arterial anatomy if angiography is necessary.
`76937` is listed above and `76942` is an alternative code for ultrasound guidance for vascular interventions but is not provided in input	Data not available in the input.

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