CPT 50384 Percutaneous Stent Removal Reimbursement

CPT code 50384 denotes percutaneous, image-guided removal of an indwelling ureteral stent. The code captures a specific, minimally invasive urologic procedure used to extract stents placed to maintain urinary drainage. Nationally, this procedure matters for hospitals, outpatient centers, and interventional radiology practices because it affects procedural coding, billing workflows, and care pathways for patients with ureteral stents.

Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context, coding definition, typical sites of service, and the types of benchmarks and policy topics commonly associated with this code. The publication summarizes common modifiers and billing considerations, expected clinical settings, and reimbursement context relevant to institutions and clinicians handling percutaneous urologic procedures.

Readers will learn practical items such as service definitions, where the procedure is typically performed, and what to expect in payer coverage discussions. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable. The content is intended for a national audience of billing professionals, clinical coders, practice managers, and policy analysts seeking a clear, concise reference on CPT code 50384.

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 50384 describes a procedure in which a provider removes an indwelling ureteral stent via a percutaneous approach using imaging guidance. This procedure is a minimally invasive, image-guided stent removal performed through a skin puncture to access the urinary tract and extract a ureteral stent.

Service Type: Percutaneous image-guided urologic procedure

Typical Site of Service: Interventional radiology suite, outpatient procedure center, or hospital operating room

Clinical Context

A 58-year-old patient with a history of ureteral obstruction underwent prior ureteral stent placement for urinary drainage. The patient now presents for elective removal of the indwelling ureteral stent because the stent has fulfilled its intended duration, is malfunctioning, or is causing symptoms (pain, hematuria, or infection). Imaging review (fluoroscopy, ultrasound, or CT) confirms stent position and planned percutaneous access. The interventional radiology or urology team schedules a percutaneous, image-guided procedure in an ambulatory surgery center or hospital interventional suite. The workflow includes pre-procedure consent and brief history/medication reconciliation, sterile preparation, local anesthesia with or without conscious sedation, percutaneous access to the renal collecting system or ureter using fluoroscopic or ultrasound guidance, grasping or snaring the distal stent segment, and removal through the percutaneous tract. Post-procedure imaging verifies complete stent removal and assesses for complications such as hemorrhage or urinoma. The patient is observed for recovery and discharged with follow-up instructions and wound care guidance if applicable.

Coding Specifications

Modifier | Description | When to Use |---|---|---| | 26 | Professional component | Use when separately billing only the physician interpretation component of imaging used during the procedure. | 59 | Distinct procedural service | Use when another distinct service was performed at a separate anatomic site or session on the same day. | 62 | Two surgeons | Use when participation of two qualified surgeons is required and both perform substantial portions of the procedure. | 66 | Surgical team | Use when services were provided using a surgical team approach. | 52 | Reduced services | Use when the procedure is partially reduced or not completed as originally planned. | | Discontinued procedure | Use when the procedure is started but terminated due to extenuating circumstances. | | Unplanned return to OR for related procedure during postoperative period | Use when the patient returns to the operating room/procedure suite for a related procedure during the postoperative period. | | Discontinued outpatient hospital/ambulatory surgery center (ASC) procedure prior to anesthesia administration | Use if the outpatient procedure is discontinued prior to anesthesia in the ASC/hospital. | | Distinct procedural service | (listed for emphasis as commonly applied when multiple interventions performed) Use to indicate a separate, distinct service. | | Technical component | Use when billing only the technical component (facility/supplies/equipment) of the imaging guidance.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code | Description | Clinical Relevance |---|---|---| | N13.2 | Hydronephrosis with renal and ureteral calculous obstruction | Ureteral stents are often placed to relieve obstruction from stones; removal follows resolution or management. | N13.6 | Pyonephrosis | Infection in the collecting system may necessitate stent placement and later percutaneous removal after source control. | N13.8 | Other obstructive and reflux uropathy | Indicates obstructive pathology for which temporary stenting and subsequent percutaneous removal may be performed. | N20.0 | Calculus of kidney | Nephrolithiasis management may include stent placement around ureteroscopy or lithotripsy with later removal. | N28.9 | Disorder of kidney and ureter, unspecified | General code used when specific etiology is not detailed but stent management is clinically indicated.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code | Description | Relationship to This Procedure |---|---|---| | 50392 | Removal and replacement of indwelling ureteral stent, percutaneous; with nephrostomy catheter placement | Performed when the stent is removed percutaneously and a nephrostomy catheter is placed during the same session. | 50393 | Removal and replacement of indwelling ureteral stent, percutaneous; without nephrostomy catheter placement | Performed when stent removal is accompanied by placement of a new stent without nephrostomy, or other percutaneous manipulations. | 50432 | Repair of ureter; reimplantation or reconstruction (example code — verify payer specifics) | May be performed in a separate session if removal reveals ureteral injury requiring surgical repair. | 50380 | Nephrostomy, percutaneous, with insertion of indwelling catheter, with or without injection for radiologic evaluation | Often performed before or after stent removal when drainage via nephrostomy is required. | 76000 | Fluoroscopic guidance or fluoroscopic supervision and interpretation | Imaging guidance code commonly reported for fluoroscopic localization during percutaneous stent removal.

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Summary & Overview

CPT 50384: Percutaneous Image-Guided Ureteral Stent Removal