Summary & Overview
CPT 47379: Laparoscopic Unlisted Procedure on the Liver
CPT code 47379 represents an unlisted laparoscopic procedure for the liver and is used when no specific CPT code applies. This code matters nationally because it captures atypical or emerging laparoscopic liver interventions that lack a discrete code, affecting billing consistency, prior authorization workflows, and reimbursement comparability across payers. Its use signals the need for detailed operative documentation to support medical necessity and appropriate payment.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find national-level context on when and why 47379 is reported, the clinical settings where it typically occurs, and the administrative considerations that commonly accompany unlisted procedure reporting.
The publication provides benchmarks for documentation and claim submission practices, outlines payer expectations and common administrative pathways for unlisted laparoscopic liver procedures, and summarizes clinical context to help coders and revenue staff understand typical use. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 47379 is an unlisted laparoscopic procedure code for operations on the liver. It is used when a laparoscopic liver procedure does not have a specific, descriptive CPT code and must be reported as an unlisted service.
Service Type: Laparoscopic surgical procedure on the liver
Typical Site of Service: Hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center, depending on clinical setting and facility capabilities.
Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 56-year-old patient with a solitary 3.2 cm hepatic lesion identified on cross-sectional imaging and suspected to be a metastatic deposit is scheduled for a diagnostic and therapeutic laparoscopic liver procedure. The patient presents after multidisciplinary tumor board review recommending minimally invasive evaluation with possible wedge resection or ablation depending on intraoperative findings. Preoperative workflow includes imaging review, anesthesia evaluation, informed consent outlining potential conversion to open laparotomy, and baseline labs including liver function tests and coagulation profile. In the operating room, the surgeon performs diagnostic laparoscopy, intraoperative ultrasound of the liver, and if feasible, laparoscopic parenchymal-sparing wedge resection of the lesion. If no specific CPT code describes the performed laparoscopic hepatic maneuver (for example, an atypical wedge resection technique, combined ablation plus limited resection, or other nonstandard laparoscopic liver work), the procedure is reported with 47379. Postoperative workflow includes recovery room monitoring, pain control, pathology submission if tissue is removed, and follow-up imaging to assess for residual disease or complications.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when the work, time, and intensity of the laparoscopic liver procedure are substantially greater than typical. Documentation must support unusual effort. |