Summary & Overview
CPT 47143: Backbench Standard Preparation of Cadaver Donor Liver
CPT code 47143 covers the backbench standard preparation of a cadaver donor liver for transplantation, a critical step in the organ transplant process. This surgical preparatory service readies the liver by removing the gallbladder if needed, clearing surrounding soft tissues, and preparing the vena cava, portal vein, hepatic artery, and common bile duct. The code specifies that the liver is not split into multiple grafts. Nationally, standardized reporting for donor organ preparation supports transplant program quality, inter-facility coordination, and accurate billing for peri-transplant services.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find clinical context about the procedure and where it is typically performed, along with operational and billing implications relevant to transplant centers and hospital surgical services. The content outlines common modifiers associated with transplant-related procedures and notes where data is available or missing. The publication aims to inform billing professionals, hospital administrators, and transplant program staff about coding scope, clinical definitions tied to the code, and the high-level areas to consider when documenting and submitting claims for donor liver preparation.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 47143 describes the backbench standard preparation of a cadaver donor liver prior to transplantation. The procedure includes removal of the gallbladder when needed, excision of surrounding soft tissues, and preparation of vascular and biliary structures — specifically the vena cava, portal vein, hepatic artery, and common bile duct — to ready the organ for implantation. The code explicitly denotes that the provider does not split the liver into multiple grafts.
Service type: Organ procurement / transplant organ preparation
Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or transplant center sterile backbench preparation area
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A liver procurement backbench preparation is performed on a cadaveric donor liver prior to transplantation into a recipient. Typical workflow: organ procurement team retrieves the donor liver at the donor hospital operating room or at a designated procurement facility. The liver is transported on ice to the transplant center or a sterile backbench area adjacent to the operating room. A transplant surgeon or designated procurement surgeon performs 47143 backbench preparation: removes the gallbladder if present, excises surrounding soft tissue, and prepares the supra- and infra-hepatic vena cava, portal vein, hepatic artery, and common bile duct for anastomosis. The graft is inspected for anatomic variants and adequate vasculature; appropriate sutures, cuffs, and vessel lengths are left for recipient implantation. The procedure does not include splitting the liver into multiple grafts. Typical site of service includes the donor hospital operating room, transplant center sterile backbench area, or organ procurement organization facility. A realistic patient scenario: a 45-year-old deceased donor after neurologic determination of death is consented for organ donation; the liver is procured and taken to the transplant center where the transplant surgeon performs backbench preparation (47143) before implantation into a 58-year-old recipient with end-stage liver disease.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 |