Summary & Overview
CPT 50325: Living Donor Kidney Back Table Preparation
CPT code 50325 covers standard back table preparation of a living donor kidney to make the organ ready for transplantation. This code captures an important, discrete step in the transplant surgical workflow distinct from procurement and implantation procedures. Nationwide, accurate reporting of this service supports clinical documentation, bundle accounting in transplant programs, and consistent reimbursement for a necessary intraoperative organ-preparation activity.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical context for CPT code 50325, common billing and reporting considerations, typical sites of service, and how major payers approach coverage and payment in transplant-related surgical care. The publication highlights benchmarking topics and policy updates relevant to transplant service lines, clarifies which elements of care are represented by this code versus related procurement or implantation codes, and summarizes areas where documentation is commonly required.
This national-level summary is intended for coding professionals, transplant program administrators, and policy analysts who need a clear statement of what CPT code 50325 denotes, which services it encompasses, and the payer landscape most relevant to its use. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 50325 describes preparation of a living donor kidney for transplantation through a standard back table procedure. The service involves surgical preparation of the donor organ after procurement to make the kidney ready for implantation into the recipient.
Service type: Organ procurement/operating room surgical preparation
Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or transplant surgical suite
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 45-year-old healthy living donor is evaluated and cleared for kidney donation. On the day of surgery, after laparoscopic or open nephrectomy, the donor kidney is brought to the operating room back table for preparation prior to implantation into the recipient. The transplant surgeon and scrub team perform bench preparation: inspection for perfusion, removal of residual perinephric fat, reconstruction or trimming of renal vessels and ureter, administration of preservation solution, flushing and back-table heparinization, and placement on ice in sterile preservation basin. The workflow includes documentation of donor identifiers, ischemia times (cold ischemia start), any vascular reconstruction performed on the back table, and communication with the implantation team. Typical facility settings are an operating room or transplant suite within an acute care hospital staffed by transplant surgeons, anesthesiologists, surgical technologists, and organ procurement/transplant coordinators. Relevant payors in typical payer discussions include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, BUCA, and Medicare.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier | Use when no specific modifier applies to the service |
22 |