A patient suffers a ruptured infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm requiring emergent endovascular repair. An aorto-aortic tube endograft is…

The procedure described is an endovascular repair of a ruptured infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm using an aorto-aortic tube endograft. CPT® code 34702 is the correct code as it specifically describes this procedure for a ruptured aorta. The code descriptor for 34702 includes all associated angioplasty performed from the renal arteries to the aortic bifurcation, which covers the balloon dilation performed to treat the endoleak at the seal zones.

B. 34701: This code is for the endovascular repair of an infrarenal aorta using an aorto-aortic tube endograft for conditions other than rupture.

C. 34707: This code is for the endovascular repair of an iliac artery, not the aorta, and for conditions other than rupture.

D. 34708: This code is for the endovascular repair of an iliac artery, not the aorta, although it is for a ruptured condition.

1. American Medical Association. (2023). CPT® 2024 Professional Edition.

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Code 34702: The descriptor for code 34702 is "Endovascular repair of infrarenal aorta by deployment of an aorto-aortic tube endograft...; for rupture including temporary aortic and/or iliac balloon occlusion

when performed." This directly matches the scenario of a ruptured aorta repaired with a tube endograft.

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Code 34701: The descriptor for code 34701 specifies the procedure is "for other than rupture

" making it incorrect for this case.

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Codes 34707-34708: The descriptors for these codes specify the repair is of an "iliac artery

" which is anatomically incorrect for the procedure described.

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Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aorta and/or Iliac Arteries Guidelines: The introductory guidelines state that the base codes (34701-34708) include "all angioplasty/stenting performed from the level of the renal arteries to the aortic bifurcation." This confirms the balloon dilation is not separately reported.