Summary & Overview
HCPCS Level II C9797: Vascular Embolization Using Pressure-Generating Catheter
HCPCS Level II code C9797 denotes a vascular embolization or occlusion procedure performed with a pressure-generating catheter (such as a one-way valve or intermittently occluding device), and includes all radiological supervision, intraprocedural roadmapping, and imaging guidance required to complete the intervention. This code applies to interventions aimed at tumor devascularization or inducing organ ischemia/infarction and reflects an advanced image-guided endovascular technique that can affect procedural coding, facility resource use, and payer coverage decisions nationally.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the code’s clinical scope and service setting, plus the typical payer mix addressed. The publication also outlines coverage considerations, common modifier usage (provided separately), and where this code fits in the broader radiology and interventional service lines.
This summary prepares clinicians, coders, and revenue leaders to understand the clinical context, billing implications, and payer coverage landscape associated with C9797, including benchmarks and policy updates where available. Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, ICD-10 mappings, and related codes is noted separately.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code C9797 describes a vascular embolization or occlusion procedure that uses a pressure-generating catheter (for example, a one-way valve or an intermittently occluding device). The code is inclusive of all radiological supervision and interpretation, intraprocedural roadmapping, and imaging guidance necessary to complete the intervention. Typical clinical indications include treatment of tumors, organ ischemia, or infarction.
Service type: Image-guided endovascular embolization/occlusion using a pressure-generating catheter.
Typical site of service: Hospital interventional radiology suite or catheterization laboratory; may also be performed in specialized ambulatory surgical centers with endovascular capability.
Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, and related codes.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 62-year-old patient with a hypervascular hepatic metastasis from colorectal cancer presents with progressive tumor growth despite systemic chemotherapy. Interventional radiology is consulted for a targeted devascularization procedure. The patient undergoes vascular embolization using a pressure-generating catheter (one-way valve or intermittently occluding) to deliver embolic material selectively to the tumor’s arterial supply. The clinical workflow includes pre-procedure imaging review (contrast-enhanced CT or MRI), informed consent documenting indications and risks, vascular access under ultrasound guidance (typically common femoral artery), selective catheterization of the hepatic arterial branches, placement of the pressure-generating catheter, controlled embolic delivery under continuous fluoroscopic roadmapping and intraprocedural imaging, hemodynamic monitoring in the angiography suite, post-embolization angiography to confirm occlusion, and recovery with post-procedure imaging or laboratory surveillance as indicated. This procedure is commonly performed in an outpatient or ambulatory surgical center setting for stable patients, or in a hospital interventional radiology suite for higher-risk patients or when inpatient admission is anticipated.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier | Use when no specific modifier applies and default reporting is appropriate. |