CPT 47370 Laparoscopic RFA Liver Tumor Reimbursement | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 47370: Laparoscopic Radiofrequency Ablation of Liver Tumor

CPT code 47370 represents laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation of one or more liver tumors, a minimally invasive surgical technique used to destroy focal hepatic lesions. Nationally, this code captures care delivered in operating rooms and ambulatory surgery centers where practitioners use laparoscopic access and radiofrequency energy to treat primary or metastatic liver tumors. The approach is important for patients who are not candidates for open resection or who require targeted tumor control.

Key payers included in the analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical context for CPT code 47370, typical sites of service, and how the procedure is categorized for billing. The publication outlines common modifiers and associated coding considerations (Data not available in the input), and identifies related administrative elements that affect claims processing (Data not available in the input).

This summary equips revenue cycle leaders, clinicians, and policy analysts with baseline knowledge about what CPT code 47370 denotes, where the service is typically provided, and which major payers are relevant for coverage and billing discussions. The content also previews operational implications for facility and practitioner billing workflows and points readers to sections with benchmarking and policy update coverage.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicareCPT 47370laparoscopic ablationradiofrequency ablationliver tumorminimally invasive surgeryoperative procedureambulatory surgery centerhospital outpatient

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 47370 describes laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation of one or more liver tumors. The procedure uses radiofrequency energy delivered via a laparoscope to destroy malignant or benign tumors within the liver.

Service type: Minimally invasive operative procedure

Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or ambulatory surgery center, performed under general anesthesia via laparoscopy

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A typical patient is an adult with one or more focal hepatic tumors (primary hepatocellular carcinoma or limited metastatic lesions, often from colorectal cancer) deemed amenable to thermal ablation. The patient presents after cross-sectional imaging (multiphasic CT or contrast-enhanced MRI) showing liver lesions 0.5–5.0 cm in size, or after multidisciplinary tumor board review recommending local control. Preoperative workup includes liver function tests, coagulation profile, oncology staging, and anesthesia evaluation. The procedure is performed in an operating room or hybrid interventional suite under general anesthesia or monitored anesthesia care. The surgeon or interventionalist gains laparoscopic access to visualize and mobilize the liver, confirms lesion location with intraoperative ultrasound, and applies radiofrequency ablation probes to achieve thermal destruction of tumor tissue. Typical intraoperative workflow includes trocar placement, laparoscopic ultrasound localization, probe placement, energy application in overlapping ablations if needed, hemostasis, and closure. Postoperative care includes recovery room monitoring, analgesia, liver enzyme surveillance, and follow-up imaging to assess treatment response. Expected sites of service are an inpatient operating room or hospital outpatient surgical suite depending on patient comorbidity and payer policy.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`00`	No modifier — standard reporting	Use when no additional modifier applies and service is routine.

CPT 47371: Laparoscopic Cryoablation of Liver Tumor

CPT-47379-LAPAROSCOPIC-UNLISTED-LIVER-PROCEDURE

CPT 47379: Laparoscopic Unlisted Procedure on the Liver

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
2080S0002X	General Surgery	General surgeons commonly perform laparoscopic liver resections and laparoscopic-assisted ablative procedures.
2080P0207X	Surgical Oncology	Surgical oncologists frequently manage primary and metastatic liver tumors and perform ablative procedures.
213E00000X	Interventional Radiology	Interventional radiologists perform image-guided liver ablations; laparoscopy-based approaches may involve IR collaboration.
208000000X	Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery	Data not typical for this procedure; included only if multidisciplinary involvement occurs.
207L00000X	Hepatology	Hepatologists coordinate pre- and post-procedure liver care but do not commonly perform laparoscopic ablations.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`C22.0`	Hepatocellular carcinoma	Primary malignant liver tumor frequently treated with local ablative techniques when lesions are limited and resection is not feasible.
`C78.7`	Secondary malignant neoplasm of liver and intrahepatic bile duct	Metastatic liver lesions (commonly from colorectal, breast, or neuroendocrine primaries) often treated with radiofrequency ablation for local control.
`K76.9`	Liver disease, unspecified	Used when a more specific diagnosis is not available; not ideal coding for ablation but may appear in complex hepatic disease contexts.
`D01.4`	Carcinoma in situ of liver and intrahepatic bile ducts	Rarely used; may represent high-risk localized lesions considered for ablative therapy.
`C22.7`	Other specified carcinomas of liver	Used for specific non-hepatocellular primary hepatic malignancies that may be treated with ablation.
`C80.1`	Malignant (primary) neoplasm, unspecified	Used when primary site is not specified; not preferred but may appear in initial documentation prior to staging.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`49320`	Laparoscopy, abdomen, diagnostic, with or without collection of specimen(s) by brushing or washing (separate procedure)	May be used when a diagnostic laparoscopy is performed prior to or in conjunction with ablation to assess peritoneal disease.
`76937`	Ultrasound, guidance for placement of radiation therapy fields (intraoperative) — note: intraoperative ultrasound guidance is commonly coded under image guidance codes or bundled into operative code depending on payer	Laparoscopic intraoperative ultrasound used to localize lesions and guide probe placement; documentation determines separate billing.
`76930`	Ultrasonic guidance for needle placement	Used if percutaneous or laparoscopic probe placement is billed separately and payer allows separate ultrasound guidance code.
`32999`	Unlisted procedure, thoracic or mediastinal — placeholder when no specific code exists for certain specialized ablations (use varies by payer)	Occasionally used if a facility-specific unlisted code is required for novel or combined approaches not captured by `47370`.
`47562`	Laparoscopic cholecystectomy; cholangiography when performed	May be performed concurrently if biliary evaluation or cholecystectomy is indicated during the same operative session.
`49083`	Destruction of tumor in abdominal wall by local application of thermal energy	Related ablative technique codes; used when ablation involves non-hepatic abdominal structures during the same operative event.

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