Summary & Overview
CPT 67335: Adjustable Suture Placement for Strabismus Repair
CPT code 67335 denotes the placement of adjustable sutures on an extraocular muscle as an add-on to a separately reportable strabismus repair. The technique allows postoperative adjustment of muscle tension to fine-tune ocular alignment, making it clinically important for optimizing surgical outcomes in strabismus management. Nationally, this code matters because it captures distinct surgical work performed adjunctive to primary strabismus procedures and influences operative coding, billing accuracy, and payment for ophthalmic surgeons.
Key payers considered include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical intent of the code, typical sites of service, and the types of payers that cover this service. The publication summarizes common modifier usage (input provided), discusses coding relationships to primary strabismus procedures, and outlines the operational context in which the add-on code is reported.
The report provides practical benchmarks and policy-relevant highlights for billing teams, coding professionals, and surgical practices: how CPT code 67335 is applied in the perioperative setting, relevant billing modifiers (input provided), and where to expect this service to appear on surgical claims. Data not available in the input for topics such as payer-specific coverage policies, reimbursement rates, and associated ICD-10 diagnoses are noted as unavailable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 67335 describes an add-on procedure in which the provider places adjustable sutures on an extraocular muscle during a separately reportable strabismus repair. The purpose of the procedure is to permit postoperative regulation of the suture tension so the muscle position can be adjusted as necessary. This code represents the work to place the adjustable suture when performed in conjunction with a primary strabismus surgical procedure.
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Service type: Surgical add-on procedure for ophthalmologic strabismus surgery
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Typical site of service: Operating room or ambulatory surgery center (procedures performed by an ophthalmic surgeon in a surgical setting)
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 32-year-old patient with symptomatic horizontal strabismus presents for surgical correction of an extraocular muscle misalignment. The surgeon plans a primary strabismus repair (for example, a recession or resection of the medial or lateral rectus) and elects to place an adjustable suture on the operated muscle to permit postoperative fine-tuning of ocular alignment. The patient arrives to an ambulatory surgery center; preoperative evaluation confirms informed consent, ocular measurements, and anesthesia planning (typically monitored anesthesia care or general anesthesia). Intraoperatively the surgeon performs the primary strabismus repair and then places an adjustable suture on the same muscle to allow postoperative adjustment of tension at the bedside or in the clinic within the allowable postoperative window. Postoperative workflow includes immediate recovery monitoring, documentation of the adjustable suture placement and adjustment plan, and a scheduled early postoperative visit (often within 24–72 hours) for adjustment if needed. The procedure documented by 67335 is submitted in addition to the separately reportable strabismus repair code for the work of placing the adjustable suture and should be reported only when an eligible primary strabismus procedure is performed on the same extraocular muscle.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component |