Summary & Overview
CPT 64489: Bilateral Transversus Abdominis Plane Block by Infusion
CPT code 64489 denotes a bilateral transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block delivered by infusion to provide postoperative analgesia for lower abdominal procedures. Nationally, use of TAP blocks affects perioperative pain management strategies, opioid-sparing initiatives, and resource allocation across surgical care settings. The code captures a regional anesthesia service that can be performed in inpatient, outpatient, and ambulatory surgery center environments.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find clinical context for the procedure, an overview of billing considerations associated with infusion-based bilateral TAP blocks, and a summary of what benchmarks and policy updates matter for coverage and coding practice. The publication also outlines typical sites of service and service type to inform coding and billing workflows.
This summary is intended for clinicians, coding professionals, and policy analysts seeking a concise national overview of CPT code 64489, how it is used clinically, and the payer landscape relevant to its application. Data not available in the input for specific utilization benchmarks, payer-specific policy details, associated taxonomies, and ICD-10 pairings.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 64489 describes a bilateral transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block administered by infusion. This procedure involves placement of local anesthetic into the fascial plane between the internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscles on both sides of the abdomen to reduce postoperative or procedure-related pain, commonly for lower abdominal surgery.
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Service type: Regional anesthesia / peripheral nerve block via continuous infusion
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Typical site of service: Hospital inpatient or outpatient surgical settings, ambulatory surgery centers, and other procedural locations where postoperative analgesia for abdominal surgery is provided
Data not available in the input for payers, associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, related codes, and service line.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 42-year-old female undergoes an elective lower abdominal hysterectomy under general anesthesia. Postoperative analgesia plan includes placement of a bilateral transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block by continuous infusion to reduce somatic pain from the anterior abdominal wall and decrease opioid requirements. The anesthesia team performs ultrasound-guided bilateral TAP catheter placement in the operating room after surgical closure. Local anesthetic is infused through each catheter for 48–72 hours in the postanesthesia care unit and then on the inpatient ward. Documentation includes indication (postoperative analgesia after lower abdominal surgery), laterality (bilateral), technique (ultrasound guidance, transversus abdominis plane), medications and concentrations, infusion pump settings, catheter dwell time, consent, and any complications or additional analgesic interventions. Typical site of service is the operating room or postanesthesia care unit for placement, with ongoing infusions delivered in the inpatient setting or ambulatory surgery recovery unit depending on patient disposition. Service type: regional anesthetic/analgesic procedure (bilateral continuous peripheral nerve plane block).
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
50 | Bilateral procedure | When the TAP block is performed bilaterally and payer requires the bilateral modifier in addition to bilateral-specific CPT interpretation. |