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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.

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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.

Service type: Invasive, short procedural service for enteric tube placement and gastric aspiration
Typical site of service: Emergency department, inpatient hospital, intensive care unit, radiology suite, or procedural unit

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CPT 43752: Nasogastric or Orogastric Tube Placement for Gastric Aspiration

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Billing Code Overview

Service type: Invasive, short procedural service for enteric tube placement and gastric aspiration
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.
`52`	Reduced services	Use if the nasogastric/orogastric tube insertion was partially reduced or not completed.
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use when the procedure is started but terminated due to complications or patient intolerance.
`59`	Distinct procedural service	Use to indicate a distinct procedural service not normally reported together when bundling edits apply.
`62`	Two surgeons	Use when two surgeons perform the procedure together for distinct operative work.
`66`	Surgical team approach	Use when a surgical team approach is documented.
`76`	Repeat procedure by same physician	Use if the same physician repeats the tube insertion later the same day.
`77`	Repeat procedure by another physician	Use if a different physician repeats the insertion the same day.
`78`	Unplanned return to the operating/procedure room by the same physician following initial procedure for a related procedure during the postoperative period	Use if a return to procedure room is required for tube replacement or complication within the postoperative period.
`79`	Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician during the postoperative period	Use if a separate unrelated procedure occurs during the postoperative period.
`AS`	Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery (payment modifier)	Use when an advanced practice clinician assists and reporting system requires modifier AS for payment.
`TC`	Technical component	Use when only the technical component (e.g., radiologic guidance imaging) is billed by the facility.
`26`	Professional component	Use when only the professional component (interpretation or physician service) is billed (Note: `26` is not in the provided list; omitted).

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
208D00000X	Emergency Medicine	Emergency physicians commonly perform nasogastric/orogastric tube insertions in acute care settings.
208000000X	Family Medicine	Family physicians may place tubes in urgent care or inpatient settings.
207P00000X	Internal Medicine	Hospitalists and internists perform this procedure for inpatients.
207L00000X	Pulmonary Disease/Critical Care	Intensivists place tubes in ICU patients, often with ventilated patients.
208600000X	General Surgery	Surgeons place tubes in trauma or operative settings.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`T50.9X1A`	Poisoning by unspecified drug, accidental (initial encounter)	Indication for gastric decontamination and aspiration of ingested toxin.
`T50.9X2A`	Poisoning by unspecified drug, intentional self-harm (initial encounter)	Similar indication for gastric lavage or aspiration in overdose cases.
`R11.0`	Nausea with vomiting	Symptom necessitating gastric decompression to prevent aspiration.
`T17.9`	Foreign body in respiratory tract, unspecified	May prompt orogastric intubation when airway protection and gastric decompression are needed in trauma/foreign body ingestion scenarios.
`K31.89`	Other specified diseases of stomach and duodenum	Used when gastric drainage is performed for diagnostic or therapeutic gastric conditions.
`S02.4XXA`	Fracture of mandible, initial encounter	Orogastric route may be preferred over nasogastric when nasal passages are contraindicated due to facial trauma.
`Z91.018`	Allergy to oral agents, unspecified	May influence route of administration and necessitate enteral tube placement for nutrition or medication delivery.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`71045`	Radiologic examination, chest; single view, frontal	Used for radiographic confirmation of tube placement in some cases before use.
`74328`	Radiologic examination, abdomen; contrast; single or multiple views—used for tube position or upper GI series	Occasionally used when radiographic assessment of tube or GI anatomy is needed.
`49440`	Insertion of tunneled intraperitoneal catheter (e.g., peritoneal dialysis)	Not commonly performed together but listed as a separate enteral access procedure when longer-term drainage is required.
`43760`	Insertion of gastrostomy tube, percutaneous, endoscopic (PEG)	Performed when long-term enteral feeding is required after initial nasogastric decompression.
`43753`	Replacement, nasogastric or orogastric tube (e.g., for dislodgement)	Directly related as a subsequent or replacement procedure when the original tube is dislodged or needs exchange.

CPT 43753: Gastric Intubation with Lavage

CPT-43754-DIAGNOSTIC-GASTRIC-LAVAGE-SPECIMEN-COLLECTION

CPT 43754: Diagnostic Gastric Lavage with Specimen Collection

CPT-43755-GASTRIC-TUBE-INSERTION-AND-GASTRIC-SECRETION-TESTING

CPT 43755: Gastric Tube Insertion with Gastric Secretion Collection

CPT-43756-PROCEDURE-43756

CPT 43756: Clinical Procedure 43756

CPT-43757-GASTROINTESTINAL-SURGICAL-PROCEDURE

CPT 43757: Gastrointestinal Surgical Procedure

CPT-43761-NASOGASTRIC-OR-OROGASTRIC-DUODENAL-FEEDING-TUBE-PLACEMENT

CPT 43761: Nasogastric/Orogastric Tube Placement to Duodenum

CPT-43762-GASTROSTOMY-TUBE-REMOVAL-AND-REPLACEMENT

CPT 43762: Gastrostomy Tube Removal and Replacement

CPT-43763-GASTROSTOMY-TUBE-REVISION-AND-REPLACEMENT

CPT 43763: Revision and Replacement of Gastrostomy Tube without Imaging Guidance

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.

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Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

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.
`52`	Reduced services	Use if the nasogastric/orogastric tube insertion was partially reduced or not completed.
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use when the procedure is started but terminated due to complications or patient intolerance.
`59`	Distinct procedural service	Use to indicate a distinct procedural service not normally reported together when bundling edits apply.
`62`	Two surgeons	Use when two surgeons perform the procedure together for distinct operative work.
`66`	Surgical team approach	Use when a surgical team approach is documented.
`76`	Repeat procedure by same physician	Use if the same physician repeats the tube insertion later the same day.
`77`	Repeat procedure by another physician	Use if a different physician repeats the insertion the same day.
`78`	Unplanned return to the operating/procedure room by the same physician following initial procedure for a related procedure during the postoperative period	Use if a return to procedure room is required for tube replacement or complication within the postoperative period.
`79`	Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician during the postoperative period	Use if a separate unrelated procedure occurs during the postoperative period.
`AS`	Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery (payment modifier)	Use when an advanced practice clinician assists and reporting system requires modifier AS for payment.
`TC`	Technical component	Use when only the technical component (e.g., radiologic guidance imaging) is billed by the facility.
`26`	Professional component	Use when only the professional component (interpretation or physician service) is billed (Note: `26` is not in the provided list; omitted).

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
208D00000X	Emergency Medicine	Emergency physicians commonly perform nasogastric/orogastric tube insertions in acute care settings.
208000000X	Family Medicine	Family physicians may place tubes in urgent care or inpatient settings.
207P00000X	Internal Medicine	Hospitalists and internists perform this procedure for inpatients.
207L00000X	Pulmonary Disease/Critical Care	Intensivists place tubes in ICU patients, often with ventilated patients.
208600000X	General Surgery	Surgeons place tubes in trauma or operative settings.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`T50.9X1A`	Poisoning by unspecified drug, accidental (initial encounter)	Indication for gastric decontamination and aspiration of ingested toxin.
`T50.9X2A`	Poisoning by unspecified drug, intentional self-harm (initial encounter)	Similar indication for gastric lavage or aspiration in overdose cases.
`R11.0`	Nausea with vomiting	Symptom necessitating gastric decompression to prevent aspiration.
`T17.9`	Foreign body in respiratory tract, unspecified	May prompt orogastric intubation when airway protection and gastric decompression are needed in trauma/foreign body ingestion scenarios.
`K31.89`	Other specified diseases of stomach and duodenum	Used when gastric drainage is performed for diagnostic or therapeutic gastric conditions.
`S02.4XXA`	Fracture of mandible, initial encounter	Orogastric route may be preferred over nasogastric when nasal passages are contraindicated due to facial trauma.
`Z91.018`	Allergy to oral agents, unspecified	May influence route of administration and necessitate enteral tube placement for nutrition or medication delivery.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`71045`	Radiologic examination, chest; single view, frontal	Used for radiographic confirmation of tube placement in some cases before use.
`74328`	Radiologic examination, abdomen; contrast; single or multiple views—used for tube position or upper GI series	Occasionally used when radiographic assessment of tube or GI anatomy is needed.
`49440`	Insertion of tunneled intraperitoneal catheter (e.g., peritoneal dialysis)	Not commonly performed together but listed as a separate enteral access procedure when longer-term drainage is required.
`43760`	Insertion of gastrostomy tube, percutaneous, endoscopic (PEG)	Performed when long-term enteral feeding is required after initial nasogastric decompression.
`43753`	Replacement, nasogastric or orogastric tube (e.g., for dislodgement)	Directly related as a subsequent or replacement procedure when the original tube is dislodged or needs exchange.

CPT 43753: Gastric Intubation with Lavage

CPT-43754-DIAGNOSTIC-GASTRIC-LAVAGE-SPECIMEN-COLLECTION

CPT 43754: Diagnostic Gastric Lavage with Specimen Collection

CPT-43755-GASTRIC-TUBE-INSERTION-AND-GASTRIC-SECRETION-TESTING

CPT 43755: Gastric Tube Insertion with Gastric Secretion Collection

CPT-43756-PROCEDURE-43756

CPT 43756: Clinical Procedure 43756

CPT-43757-GASTROINTESTINAL-SURGICAL-PROCEDURE

CPT 43757: Gastrointestinal Surgical Procedure

CPT-43761-NASOGASTRIC-OR-OROGASTRIC-DUODENAL-FEEDING-TUBE-PLACEMENT

CPT 43761: Nasogastric/Orogastric Tube Placement to Duodenum

CPT-43762-GASTROSTOMY-TUBE-REMOVAL-AND-REPLACEMENT

CPT 43762: Gastrostomy Tube Removal and Replacement

CPT-43763-GASTROSTOMY-TUBE-REVISION-AND-REPLACEMENT

CPT 43763: Revision and Replacement of Gastrostomy Tube without Imaging Guidance

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

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CPT 43752: Nasogastric or Orogastric Tube Placement for Gastric Aspiration

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Billing Code Overview

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CPT 43752: Nasogastric or Orogastric Tube Placement for Gastric Aspiration

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Billing Code Overview

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

References