Summary & Overview
CPT 64832: Repair of Additional Digital Nerve in Finger or Toe
CPT code 64832 covers repair of an additional digital nerve in a finger or toe performed during the same surgical session as an initial nerve repair. This code is used for procedures that restore sensory and/or motor function after traumatic nerve injury and is relevant across surgical specialties that manage hand and foot trauma. Nationally, accurate coding for supplemental nerve repairs affects procedure-level reporting, episode-of-care documentation, and payment for complex reconstructive services.
Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of clinical context for digital nerve repair, typical sites of service, and common billing considerations tied to this procedure code. The publication also summarizes benchmarking topics and recent policy updates that affect surgical coding and claim submission practices for nerve repair procedures.
This summary provides clinicians, coding professionals, and policy analysts with the clinical meaning of the code, the types of settings where the procedure is performed, and the payer landscape that determines coverage and claims processing for CPT code 64832.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 64832 describes a surgical procedure in which the provider repairs an additional digital nerve in a finger or toe during the same operative session after an initial nerve repair. The procedure is intended to restore sensory and/or motor function when nerves are damaged or severed by injury or trauma.
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Service type: Surgical peripheral nerve repair of an additional digital nerve during the same session
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Typical site of service: Ambulatory surgical center or hospital operating room, often performed by hand or peripheral nerve surgeons
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 28-year-old male presents to the emergency department after a hand laceration from broken glass while working. On exam, two digital nerves in the middle and ring fingers appear transected. The patient is taken to the operating room under regional block for exploration and primary repair of the first injured digital nerve. During the same surgical session, the surgeon identifies an additional injured digital nerve in the adjacent finger and performs repair of that second nerve. The procedure performed for the additional nerve repair is reported using 64832 to document repair of another nerve in a finger or toe during the same operative session. Typical workflow includes preoperative consent and documentation of mechanism of injury, intraoperative findings (nerve identification, viable nerve ends), technical details of repair (microsutures, use of magnification), and postoperative instructions for wound care and hand therapy. Typical site of service is an operating room in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center. The service restores sensory and/or motor function in digits after traumatic nerve transection and is commonly performed by hand surgeons, orthopedic surgeons, or plastic surgeons with microsurgical skills.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
59 | Distinct procedural service | Use when procedures performed on separate digits or distinct anatomical sites require linkage separation from other services during the same encounter. |