1. Procedure and CPT® Code Selection:
The scenario describes the repair of a bleeding vessel in the patient’s right hand. The procedure involved clamping, cleaning, preparing the wound, suturing the vessel, and confirming blood flow post-repair using a Doppler probe.
Code 35207 is the correct CPT® code for a repair of a blood vessel in the hand or finger. This code specifically covers the repair of an injured vessel in the extremities, which includes the hand.
Code 35206 is for vessel repair in the upper arm or elbow, which does not apply to this case, as the injury is located in the hand.
Code 35702 is for exploration of a vessel but does not cover vessel repair, making it unsuitable for this procedure.
Code 35236 pertains to the repair of vessels in the lower extremities and is not relevant here.
2. Modifier:
Modifier RT is used to indicate that the procedure was performed on the right side of the body.
3. AAPC and CPT® Coding Guidelines:
AAPC guidelines specify the use of codes in the 35201–35286 series for direct repair of blood vessels in specific anatomical areas. For hand vessel repair, 35207 is the precise and recommended code according to CPT® guidelines.
Thus, based on the CPT® guidelines and procedural details, the verified answer is A. 35207-RT.
Submit