Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: The cardiologist performed a heart catheterization via the patient’s subclavian and groin to retrieve a broken piece of a port-a-cath that had floated into the atrium and lodged into the ventricle. In the operative report, the cardiologist stated that he had to go through both locations simultaneously to guide the piece out of the ventricle and out of the body. Which CPT^® code should I report for this procedure?

Nebraska Subscriber

Answer: You would report 37197 (Transcatheter retrieval, percutaneous, of intravascular foreign body (eg, fractured venous or arterial catheter), includes radiological supervision and interpretation, and imaging guidance (ultrasound or fluoroscopy), when performed) for this procedure.

Don’t miss: For percutaneous retrieval of a vena cava filter, you would not use 37197. Instead, report 37193 (Retrieval (removal) of intravascular vena cava filter, endovascular approach including vascular access, vessel selection, and radiological supervision and interpretation, intraprocedural roadmapping, and imaging guidance (ultrasound and fluoroscopy), when performed), according to CPT^®.