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CPT 62160: Endoscopic Ventricular Catheter Placement or Replacement

Headline: CPT code 62160: Endoscopic ventricular catheter placement or replacement

CPT code 62160 identifies an add-on neurosurgical endoscopic procedure used to place or replace a ventricular catheter for cerebrospinal fluid drainage. This procedure matters nationally because it addresses acute and chronic conditions that raise intracranial pressure, including hydrocephalus and catheter obstruction, and it is commonly performed in inpatient and ambulatory surgical settings. As an add-on code, 62160 is reported in conjunction with primary procedure codes for shunt placement or external ventricular drainage.

Key payers examined include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical context for when 62160 is used, typical sites of service, and common billing considerations. The publication provides benchmarks and coding guidance for revenue cycle teams, highlights payer coverage considerations and modifier usage, and outlines areas where clinical documentation supports correct reporting.

This resource is intended for coding professionals, neurosurgery clinical teams, and revenue integrity staff seeking a clear national summary of the code's clinical purpose, common billing context, and where to focus documentation for accurate capture of the add-on endoscopic ventricular catheter service.

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Billing Code Overview

CPT code 62160 describes an endoscopic ventricular catheter placement or replacement. In this add-on procedure, the provider uses a small endoscope to access the brain to place or replace a ventricular catheter for a shunt system or for external drainage. The service is performed either as an initial placement to drain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the brain's ventricles to reduce intracranial pressure, or to replace a catheter that is obstructed and no longer allows CSF flow.

Service type: Neurosurgical endoscopic procedure, shunt/external ventricular catheter placement or replacement

Typical site of service: Operating room or procedure suite within a hospital or ambulatory surgical center that performs intracranial endoscopic procedures

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CPT 62160: Endoscopic Ventricular Catheter Placement or Replacement

Headline: CPT code 62160: Endoscopic ventricular catheter placement or replacement

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Billing Code Overview

Service type: Neurosurgical endoscopic procedure, shunt/external ventricular catheter placement or replacement

Typical site of service: Operating room or procedure suite within a hospital or ambulatory surgical center that performs intracranial endoscopic procedures

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 62-year-old patient presents with progressively worsening headache, nausea, and decreased level of consciousness after subarachnoid hemorrhage complicated by acute hydrocephalus. Neuroimaging demonstrates dilated lateral ventricles with transependymal CSF flow consistent with obstructive hydrocephalus. The neurosurgery team determines urgent ventricular catheter placement for CSF diversion is required. The procedure uses an endoscope to access the lateral ventricle and place an intraventricular catheter connected to an external ventricular drain (EVD) or as part of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt system. The workflow includes preoperative assessment and informed consent, intraoperative neuronavigation and endoscopic ventricular access, catheter placement and confirmation of CSF flow, securing the catheter and tunneling as indicated, sterile dressing, and postoperative neurosurgical ICU monitoring for drainage output, neurological status, and potential complications such as hemorrhage or infection. Billing is submitted as the add-on code 62160 in conjunction with the primary cranial procedure code for shunt placement or external ventricular drain insertion as appropriate.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`00`	No modifier (default)	Use when no special circumstance modifier applies.
`11`	Professional component	Use when reporting only the physician’s professional component (rare for this operative procedure).
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when work required is substantially greater than typically required (document justification).
`23`	Unusual anesthesia	Use if typically not required anesthesia becomes medically necessary for a patient undergoing this procedure.
`50`	Bilateral procedure	Use if bilateral ventricular catheters are placed and payer requires bilateral reporting.
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the procedure is partially reduced or not completed as planned but still performed.
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use when the procedure is started but terminated due to extenuating circumstances prior to completion.
`58`	Staged or related procedure by the same physician during the postoperative period	Use if the catheter placement is planned as a staged portion of a multi-stage cranial procedure.
`62`	Two surgeons	Use when two surgeons work together as primary surgeons performing distinct portions of the procedure.
`78`	Return to OR for a related procedure during the global period	Use when the patient returns to the operating room for a related procedure during the global period due to complications or revision.
`79`	Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician during the postoperative period	Use when an unrelated procedure is performed during the global period.
`80`	Assistant surgeon	Use when an assistant surgeon performs part of the procedure and payer requires reporting.
`81`	Minimum assistant surgeon	Use when a minimum assistant is provided and payer requires this modifier.
`63`	Procedure performed on infants less than 4 kg	Use when patient weight criteria are met for pediatric neurosurgery adjustments.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207L00000X	Neurological Surgery	Primary specialty performing endoscopic ventricular catheter placement.
2086S0122X	Critical Care Medicine	Critical care physicians manage postoperative ICU care and EVD management.
207R00000X	Radiology—Diagnostic	Intraoperative neuronavigation and imaging support; not primary operator.
2084N0400X	Emergency Medicine	May present initial acute hydrocephalus patients requiring urgent consultation and transfer.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
Data not available in the input.	Data not available in the input.	Data not available in the input.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`62160`	Endoscopic placement or replacement of ventricular catheter for drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (add-on)	This is the add-on code describing the endoscopic approach to place or replace a ventricular catheter; reported with the primary catheter or shunt placement code.
`62223`	Injection, diagnostic or therapeutic, of cerebrospinal fluid? (Note: placeholder — see payer guidance)	Data not available in the input.
`61100`	Craniectomy or craniotomy procedure codes vary by approach and indication	Often reported for concomitant cranial procedures when open access is required rather than endoscopic technique.
`62230`	Diagnostic lumbar puncture, therapeutic lumbar puncture and CSF drainage codes	Performed in related diagnostic or therapeutic CSF management but not a direct substitute for intraventricular catheter placement.
`97607`	Negative pressure wound therapy (application) — example postoperative wound care	May be used for complex postoperative wound management but is ancillary to the ventricular catheter procedure.

CPT 62161: Endoscopic Intracranial Cyst/Adhesion Removal with Ventricular Catheter

CPT-62162-ENDOSCOPIC-COLLOID-CYST-RESECTION-WITH-VENTRICULAR-DRAINAGE

CPT 62162: Endoscopic Colloid Cyst Resection with Ventricular Drainage

CPT-62164-ENDOSCOPIC-BRAIN-TUMOR-RESECTION-WITH-VENTRICULAR-DRAINAGE

CPT 62164: Endoscopic Brain Tumor Resection with Ventricular Drainage

CPT-62165-ENDOSCOPIC-TRANSNASAL-PITUITARY-TUMOR-RESECTION

CPT 62165: Endoscopic Transnasal Transsphenoidal Pituitary Tumor Resection

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

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Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

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Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`00`	No modifier (default)	Use when no special circumstance modifier applies.
`11`	Professional component	Use when reporting only the physician’s professional component (rare for this operative procedure).
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when work required is substantially greater than typically required (document justification).
`23`	Unusual anesthesia	Use if typically not required anesthesia becomes medically necessary for a patient undergoing this procedure.
`50`	Bilateral procedure	Use if bilateral ventricular catheters are placed and payer requires bilateral reporting.
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the procedure is partially reduced or not completed as planned but still performed.
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use when the procedure is started but terminated due to extenuating circumstances prior to completion.
`58`	Staged or related procedure by the same physician during the postoperative period	Use if the catheter placement is planned as a staged portion of a multi-stage cranial procedure.
`62`	Two surgeons	Use when two surgeons work together as primary surgeons performing distinct portions of the procedure.
`78`	Return to OR for a related procedure during the global period	Use when the patient returns to the operating room for a related procedure during the global period due to complications or revision.
`79`	Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician during the postoperative period	Use when an unrelated procedure is performed during the global period.
`80`	Assistant surgeon	Use when an assistant surgeon performs part of the procedure and payer requires reporting.
`81`	Minimum assistant surgeon	Use when a minimum assistant is provided and payer requires this modifier.
`63`	Procedure performed on infants less than 4 kg	Use when patient weight criteria are met for pediatric neurosurgery adjustments.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207L00000X	Neurological Surgery	Primary specialty performing endoscopic ventricular catheter placement.
2086S0122X	Critical Care Medicine	Critical care physicians manage postoperative ICU care and EVD management.
207R00000X	Radiology—Diagnostic	Intraoperative neuronavigation and imaging support; not primary operator.
2084N0400X	Emergency Medicine	May present initial acute hydrocephalus patients requiring urgent consultation and transfer.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
Data not available in the input.	Data not available in the input.	Data not available in the input.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`62160`	Endoscopic placement or replacement of ventricular catheter for drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (add-on)	This is the add-on code describing the endoscopic approach to place or replace a ventricular catheter; reported with the primary catheter or shunt placement code.
`62223`	Injection, diagnostic or therapeutic, of cerebrospinal fluid? (Note: placeholder — see payer guidance)	Data not available in the input.
`61100`	Craniectomy or craniotomy procedure codes vary by approach and indication	Often reported for concomitant cranial procedures when open access is required rather than endoscopic technique.
`62230`	Diagnostic lumbar puncture, therapeutic lumbar puncture and CSF drainage codes	Performed in related diagnostic or therapeutic CSF management but not a direct substitute for intraventricular catheter placement.
`97607`	Negative pressure wound therapy (application) — example postoperative wound care	May be used for complex postoperative wound management but is ancillary to the ventricular catheter procedure.

CPT 62161: Endoscopic Intracranial Cyst/Adhesion Removal with Ventricular Catheter

CPT-62162-ENDOSCOPIC-COLLOID-CYST-RESECTION-WITH-VENTRICULAR-DRAINAGE

CPT 62162: Endoscopic Colloid Cyst Resection with Ventricular Drainage

CPT-62164-ENDOSCOPIC-BRAIN-TUMOR-RESECTION-WITH-VENTRICULAR-DRAINAGE

CPT 62164: Endoscopic Brain Tumor Resection with Ventricular Drainage

CPT-62165-ENDOSCOPIC-TRANSNASAL-PITUITARY-TUMOR-RESECTION

CPT 62165: Endoscopic Transnasal Transsphenoidal Pituitary Tumor Resection

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

OpenPayer

CPT 62160: Endoscopic Ventricular Catheter Placement or Replacement

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Billing Code Overview

OpenPayer

CPT 62160: Endoscopic Ventricular Catheter Placement or Replacement

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Billing Code Overview

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

References

CPT 62160: Endoscopic Ventricular Catheter Placement or Replacement

Sign up for cpt 62160 policy alerts

Billing Code Overview

CPT 62160: Endoscopic Ventricular Catheter Placement or Replacement

Sign up for cpt 62160 policy alerts

Billing Code Overview

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

When should CPT 62160 be reported?

What clinical scenarios and procedural steps are associated with CPT 62160?

Which modifiers are commonly relevant when billing CPT 62160?

Which specialties and taxonomy codes are associated with this procedure?

What payer coverage information is provided for CPT 62160?

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

When should CPT 62160 be reported?

What clinical scenarios and procedural steps are associated with CPT 62160?

Which modifiers are commonly relevant when billing CPT 62160?

Which specialties and taxonomy codes are associated with this procedure?

What payer coverage information is provided for CPT 62160?

References