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    v1.0.31
    OpenPayerBilling CodesEndoscopy Procedures on the RectumCPT cpt-45337-flexible-sigmoidoscopy-with-decompression
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    CPT 45337: Flexible Sigmoidoscopy with Decompression for Volvulus/Megacolon

    Medicare pays $102 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 45337 describes a diagnostic and therapeutic flexible sigmoidoscopy in which the provider inspects the rectum and sigmoid colon with a flexible sigmoidoscope and, when a volvulus or megacolon is identified, introduces a stiff tube to decompress the affected segment; service type: endoscopic diagnostic and therapeutic procedure; typical site of service: endoscopy suite or operating room.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Achalasia and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) - Minimally Invasive Procedures - Medical Policy, Esophageal Brush Biopsy, Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Field Stimulation for Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders.

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    Table of contents

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 72-year-old patient presents to the emergency department with acute abdominal distension, obstipation, and intermittent crampy lower abdominal pain. On exam the abdomen is distended and tympanic with decreased bowel sounds. Plain abdominal radiographs suggest sigmoid volvulus with a markedly dilated sigmoid colon. The surgical team evaluates the patient and consents for urgent endoscopic decompression. The patient is transported to the endoscopy suite where the gastroenterologist or colorectal surgeon performs a flexible sigmoidoscopy. The provider advances a flexible sigmoidoscope to the sigmoid colon to visualize the torsed segment; if a volvulus or functional megacolon is confirmed, a stiff rectal tube or rigid rectal tube is introduced through the scope or alongside it and the colon is decompressed, with liquid stool and gas evacuated. Post-procedure monitoring occurs in the recovery area with serial abdominal exams and imaging as indicated. Typical sites of service include the hospital operating room, endoscopy suite, or emergency department procedure room. The service type is an urgent or emergent endoscopic therapeutic decompression of sigmoid volvulus/megacolon using flexible sigmoidoscopy as described by 45337.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    45378Colonoscopy, flexible; diagnostic, including collection of specimen(s) by brushing or washing, when performed (separate procedure)Performed when full colon evaluation is required after decompression or if distal exam incomplete; more extensive than 45337.
    45385Colonoscopy, flexible; with transendoscopic stent placement (includes dilation and other procedures)May be used if endoscopic stenting is considered after decompression for palliation or bridge to surgery.
    44204Laparoscopy, surgical; colectomy, partial, with anastomosis (separate procedure)Performed if endoscopic decompression fails or if ischemia/perforation requires definitive surgical resection.
    76770Ultrasound, retroperitoneal/transabdominal, limitedUsed adjunctively for bedside assessment or postoperative evaluation of complications; not specific but commonly available imaging.
    49002Exploratory laparotomy, incision and drainage of abscess, or other open abdominal procedures (example code - exact code depends on procedure)Represents open surgical intervention that may follow failed endoscopic management; exact code varies with procedure performed.

    Related Modifiers

    10 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    23Modifier -23 (Unusual Anesthesia) is used on anesthesia service CPT codes when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia…- Use modifier -23 only on anesthesia CPT codes (00100–01999) when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia because of…
    22Modifier –22 (Increased Procedural Services) is used when a reported procedure is substantially more extensive than normally required. The CPT Manual and CMS state it may be appended only when the…- When to use: Append modifier -22 to a procedural CPT code when the service performed is substantially more extensive than the usual service described by that code — i.e., the procedure required…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    73Modifier 73 indicates a facility-level outpatient hospital or ASC procedure that was discontinued after the patient was prepared and taken to the procedure/operating room but before any anesthesia…- When to use: Apply CPT modifier 73 on the FACILITY (outpatient hospital or ASC) claim when the patient has been fully prepared and physically taken into the procedure/operating room but the…
    76Modifier -76, Repeat Procedure or Service by Same Physician or Other Qualified Health Care Professional, is appended when the same provider performs an identical, medically necessary procedure or…- Use modifier -76 when the same physician or other qualified health care professional performs an identical procedure or service a second (or subsequent) time on the same date of service and the…
    62Modifier 62 indicates that two surgeons function as co‑surgeons, each performing distinct parts of the same primary surgical procedure. It is appended to the primary procedure code (and any…- Use modifier -62 when two surgeons act as co‑surgeons (both primary surgeons) on a single definitive primary procedure, each performing distinct parts of the same surgical procedure (append -62 to…
    78CPT modifier -78 indicates an unplanned, related return to the operating or procedure room by the same provider during the global postoperative period. It is appended when treatment for a…- Use modifier -78 when an unplanned, related complication during the original procedure’s global postoperative period requires the patient to return to a formal operating or procedure room and the…
    79Modifier 79 indicates a surgical procedure performed during the postoperative global period of a prior surgery that is unrelated to the original procedure. Per AMA/CPT and CMS guidance, it is…- Use modifier 79 when the same physician (or same‑specialty physician in the same group) performs a surgical procedure during the postoperative global period of a prior surgery and the new procedure…
    51Modifier –51 (Multiple Procedures) is used when the same provider performs multiple procedures in the same session to identify secondary, non‑exempt procedures and indicate payment reduction logic…- Use modifier -51 when the same provider performs multiple distinct procedures during the same patient encounter: report the highest‑valued procedure first (no modifier) and append -51 to…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207RC0000X
    207RH0000X
    208000000X
    207RP1001X
    363A00000X
    261QA0600X
    225700000X
    3336I0012X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    28 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    A09Infectious gastroenteritis and colitis, unspecified
    K50.90Crohn's disease, unspecified, without complications
    K51.90Ulcerative colitis, unspecified, without complications
    K52.9Noninfective gastroenteritis and colitis, unspecified
    K55.9Vascular disorder of intestine, unspecified
    K56.2Volvulus
    K57.20Diverticulitis of large intestine with perforation and abscess without bleeding
    K57.30Diverticulosis of large intestine without perforation or abscess without bleeding
    K57.50Diverticulosis of both small and large intestine without perforation or abscess without bleeding
    K57.80Diverticulitis of intestine, part unspecified, with perforation and abscess without bleeding

    Showing 1–10 of 28

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Gastroenterology1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Achalasia and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) - Minimally Invasive Procedures - Medical PolicyHealth-New-England2027-02-01
    Esophageal Brush Biopsycaresourcegeorgia2026-12-01
    Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Field Stimulation for Functional Abdominal Pain Disordersbcbsvermont2026-12-01
    Gastric Pacing/Gastric Electrical Stimulation (GES)Cigna2026-11-15
    Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Field Stimulation for Disorders of Gut-Brain Interactionpremerabluecrossofwashington2026-11-06
    Percutaneous electrical nerve field stimulation for disorders of gut-brain interactionpremerabluecrossofwashington2026-11-06
    Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Field Stimulation for Disorders of Gut-Brain Interactionpremerabluecrossofwashington2026-11-06
    Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) Coverage Policyevicore2026-11-05
    Non-invasive Testing for Liver FibrosisModa Health2026-11-01
    Surgical Site of Care - Colonoscopy and Sigmoidoscopyregence2026-11-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-45300-PROCTOSIGMOIDOSCOPY-RIGID-DIAGNOSTIC

    CPT 45300: Diagnostic Proctosigmoidoscopy with Rigid Proctoscope

    CPT-45303-PROCTOSIGMOIDOSCOPY-WITH-STRICTURE-DILATION

    CPT 45303: Proctosigmoidoscopy with Stricture Dilation

    CPT-45305-PROCTOSIGMOIDOSCOPY-WITH-BIOPSY

    CPT 45305: Proctosigmoidoscopy with Biopsy

    CPT-45307-PROCTOSIGMOIDOSCOPY-LOWER-GI-ENDOSCOPY

    CPT 45307: Proctosigmoidoscopy of Rectum and Sigmoid Colon

    CPT-45308-PROCTOSIGMOIDOSCOPIC-LESION-REMOVAL

    CPT 45308: Proctosigmoidoscopy with Removal of Single Lesion

    CPT-45309-PROCTOSIGMOIDOSCOPY-SNARE-EXCISION-LESION

    CPT 45309: Proctosigmoidoscopy with Snare Polypectomy

    CPT-45315-PROCTOSIGMOIDOSCOPIC-POLYPECTOMY-MULTIPLE-LESIONS

    CPT 45315: Proctosigmoidoscopy with Multiple Lesion Removal

    CPT-45317-PROCTOSIGMOIDOSCOPY-WITH-HEMOSTASIS

    CPT 45317: Therapeutic Proctosigmoidoscopy for Hemorrhage Control

    CPT-45320-PROCTOSIGMOIDOSCOPIC-LESION-ABLATION

    CPT 45320: Proctosigmoidoscopic Ablation of Lesion

    CPT-45321-PROCTOSIGMOIDOSCOPIC-DECOMPRESSION-SIGMOID-VOLVULUS

    CPT 45321: Proctosigmoidoscopic Decompression of Volvulus

    Showing 1–10 of 39

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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