Summary & Overview
CPT 47362: Re-entry for Liver Hemorrhage, Clot and Packing Removal
Headline: CPT code 47362: Surgical Re-entry for Liver Hemorrhage — Procedure Overview and Payer Scope
Lead: CPT code 47362 covers a surgical procedure in which the provider re-enters a prior incision made to control liver bleeding, removes packing and clots, and inspects and addresses any remaining hemorrhage. The code captures an urgent or scheduled operative revision focused on hemostasis and intra-abdominal exploration.
CPT code 47362 matters nationally because hepatic hemorrhage carries high morbidity and requires timely surgical control; accurate coding affects clinical documentation, resource allocation, and hospital workflow. Key payers included in this analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise briefing on the clinical intent of the code, typical settings where the service is delivered, and the payers that commonly process claims for this service. The publication also provides benchmarking context, common modifier usage (listed elsewhere in the full document), and clinical context relevant to hemorrhage control procedures. Data not available in the input is noted where specific payer rates, associated taxonomies, and ICD-10 pairings would otherwise be presented.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 47362 describes a surgical re-entry into a prior incision used to control liver hemorrhage to remove clots and packing and to inspect and control any ongoing bleeding. This procedure is a surgical hemorrhage control revision focused on the liver.
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Service type: Surgical procedure for hemorrhage control and exploration
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Typical site of service: Operating room or other surgical setting where intra-abdominal exploration and hemostasis can be performed
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult who previously underwent emergent laparotomy for blunt or penetrating hepatic trauma with hepatic packing placed to control active liver hemorrhage. After initial resuscitation and stabilization in the intensive care unit, the patient returns to the operating room within 24–72 hours for planned re-exploration. In the operating room under general anesthesia, the surgeon re-enters the prior abdominal incision, removes abdominal packs and clot burden from the liver injury site, inspects and controls any ongoing bleeding with hemostatic techniques (sutures, topical agents, cautery), and assesses hepatic viability. The workflow includes review of recent imaging and coagulation status, anesthesia induction, opening the prior incision, removal of packs and irrigation, definitive hemostasis or additional interventions if needed (e.g., hepatic vessel ligation, packing repositioning), dressing and closure or temporary abdominal closure if required. Typical site of service is an operating room in an acute care hospital (inpatient).
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
11 | Office or other outpatient service (standard) | When the service represents the usual, non-exceptional service by the surgeon; commonly appended as the primary/standard circumstance when required by payer rules. |
22 |