Summary & Overview
CPT 43752: Nasogastric or Orogastric Tube Placement for Gastric Aspiration
CPT code 43752 covers the insertion of a nasogastric or orogastric tube into the stomach for aspiration, drainage, enteral feeding, or removal of ingested toxins. This short, invasive procedure—sometimes performed with radiological guidance—is commonly used in emergency, inpatient, and critical care settings to prevent aspiration, manage gastrointestinal contents, and support nutrition or decontamination. Nationally, accurate coding for 43752 matters for clinical documentation, quality measurement, and consistent claims processing across payers.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical context of the procedure, typical sites of service, common billing considerations, and the payer landscape relevant to 43752. The publication summarizes typical use cases (aspiration/drainage, enteral feeding, poisoning management), coding implications for hospital and emergency services, and what to expect in payer coverage and claim adjudication. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable. The content is intended for clinicians, coding professionals, and policy analysts seeking a national-level reference on CPT code 43752.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 43752 describes the placement of a nasogastric or orogastric tube into the stomach via the nose or mouth and esophagus. The procedure may use radiological guidance to advance the tube and is performed to aspirate or drain gastric contents for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, to prevent aspiration and vomiting in trauma patients, to enable enteral feeding, or to remove toxic substances in cases of poisoning or overdose. The external end of the tube is connected to a syringe or suction pump to aspirate or drain stomach contents.
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Service type: Invasive, short procedural service for enteric tube placement and gastric aspiration
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Typical site of service: Emergency department, inpatient hospital, intensive care unit, radiology suite, or procedural unit
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult presenting to the emergency department after an acute oral ingestion of a toxic substance with ongoing emesis and risk of aspiration. The emergency physician performs a nasogastric or orogastric tube insertion to evacuate gastric contents and reduce systemic absorption. The workflow includes assessment of airway protective reflexes and contraindications (basilar skull fracture, severe facial trauma), obtaining informed consent if possible, selecting appropriate tube size, topical anesthesia and lubrication, advancing the tube by measured depth while monitoring patient tolerance, aspirating gastric contents with syringe or suction pump, obtaining radiographic confirmation of tube placement when clinically indicated, and securing the tube for continued drainage or enteral access. The procedure is performed in an ED treatment area or procedure room, sometimes in the operating room or ICU for unstable or intubated patients. Documentation includes indication, technique (nasogastric vs orogastric), size and type of tube, use of radiologic guidance, volume and character of aspirate, patient tolerance, any complications, and disposition for ongoing management (observation, ICU, transfer).
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
25 | Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service on the same day | Use when an E/M visit is performed and the tube insertion is a distinct procedure on the same date. |