Summary & Overview
CPT 47711: Excision of Extrahepatic Bile Duct Mass with Repair
CPT code 47711 identifies surgical removal of an abnormal mass from an extrahepatic biliary duct with repair of the bile duct as needed and submission of the specimen for pathological evaluation. This code captures a clinically significant hepatobiliary procedure used to diagnose and treat obstructive lesions, neoplasms, and other focal biliary pathology. Nationally, procedures coded with 47711 are important for case mix, surgical quality measurement, and oncology pathway initiation when pathology confirms malignancy.
Key payers covered in this overview include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical context for the procedure, the likely site of service, and what billing lines typically represent for this surgical intervention. The publication outlines coding context, common modifiers, and benchmarking considerations for payers named above. It also summarizes implications for surgical services, pathology follow-up, and potential perioperative resource use.
The article provides: a clear description of the service captured by 47711, guidance on where the service is typically performed, and a roadmap of topics readers can expect in the full publication, including benchmarks, payer coverage notes, and clinical context for postoperative management.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 47711 describes a surgical procedure to excise an abnormal mass from an extrahepatic biliary duct with repair of the bile duct as needed. The removed specimen is submitted for pathological examination to assess for malignancy or other disease.
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Service type: Surgical excision of biliary duct mass with bile duct repair
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Typical site of service: Operating room or ambulatory surgical center for biliary tract surgery
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 62-year-old patient presents with right upper quadrant pain, jaundice, and abnormal liver function tests. Imaging (ultrasound followed by MRCP) identifies a suspicious extrahepatic biliary duct mass causing partial obstruction. The surgical team schedules an open or laparoscopic exploration of the common bile duct. In the operating room, the surgeon performs excision of the abnormal mass from the extrahepatic biliary duct, achieves hemostasis, and performs bile duct repair (primary repair or choledochorrhaphy) as needed. The excised tissue is submitted to pathology for histologic evaluation and cancer staging. Typical preoperative workflow includes informed consent, cross-sectional imaging review, anesthesia evaluation, and possible intraoperative cholangiography. Typical postoperative workflow includes monitoring for bile leak or infection, liver function test surveillance, pain control, and pathology follow-up for definitive diagnosis and oncologic planning.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
11 | Provider is the usual/primary performing practitioner | Use when this surgeon is the primary surgeon performing the procedure. |
22 | Increased procedural services |