What is a donor Cardiectomy?
What is a donor Cardiectomy?
Donor cardiectomy is the first-step operation of heart transplantation. Despite the importance of the procedure, donor operation is scarcely observed by cardiothoracic surgical trainees. The authors present a donor cardiectomy video with step-by-step comments for educational purposes.
What do we call a doctor who deals with heart transplant?
Specialists often include a: Cardiologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating heart problems) Cardiovascular surgeon (a doctor who does the transplant surgery)
What are the contraindications for heart transplantation?
Contraindications
- Major systemic disease.
- Age inappropriateness (70 years of age)
- Cancer in the last 5 years except localized skin (not melanoma) or stage I breast or prostate.
- Active smoker (less than 6 months since quitting)
- Active substance abuse.
- HIV.
- Severe local or systemic infection.
- Severe neurologic deficits.
How does a donated heart work?
While it’s carried out, a heart-lung bypass machine will be used to keep your blood circulating with oxygen-rich blood. A cut is made in the middle of the chest. Your own heart is then removed, and the donor heart is connected to the main arteries and veins. The new heart should then begin beating normally.
How do you harvest a heart transplant?
Once a donor heart becomes available, a surgeon from the transplant center goes to harvest the donor heart. The heart is cooled and stored in a special solution while being taken to the recipient. The surgeon will make sure the donor heart is in good condition before beginning the transplant surgery.
Is there only one CPT code for heart transplant?
CPT® Coding Procedure coding is more straightforward because there is only one code from which to choose: 33945 Heart transplant, with or without recipient cardiectomy. The removal of the defected heart is bundled into the placement of the new heart.
What are the procedures for a heart transplant?
The procedure consists of three operations: The first operation is performed to harvest the heart from the donor; the second procedure is to remove the recipient’s damaged heart; and the third surgery is the implantation of the donor heart. Remember that medical necessity drives the coding choice for a heart transplant (as it does for all coding).
Do you have to pay for a heart transplant?
The surgeon’s work to remove the heart from the donor is usually paid by an organ procurement organization, such as Life Net, and not billed through insurance or billed to the patient.
When to remove a VAD for a heart transplant?
If the patient has a ventricular assist device (VAD) that must be removed prior to the heart transplant, the surgeon also may separately report 33980 Removal of ventricular assist device, implantable intracorporeal, single ventricle, or if VAD removal is accomplished by percutaneous transseptal approach, 33999 Unlisted procedure, cardiac surgery.
CPT® Coding Procedure coding is more straightforward because there is only one code from which to choose: 33945 Heart transplant, with or without recipient cardiectomy. The removal of the defected heart is bundled into the placement of the new heart.
The procedure consists of three operations: The first operation is performed to harvest the heart from the donor; the second procedure is to remove the recipient’s damaged heart; and the third surgery is the implantation of the donor heart. Remember that medical necessity drives the coding choice for a heart transplant (as it does for all coding).
If the patient has a ventricular assist device (VAD) that must be removed prior to the heart transplant, the surgeon also may separately report 33980 Removal of ventricular assist device, implantable intracorporeal, single ventricle, or if VAD removal is accomplished by percutaneous transseptal approach, 33999 Unlisted procedure, cardiac surgery.
What is the diagnosis code for heart failure?
Covered diagnosis codes are carrier specific; however, examples of diagnosis codes that most carriers accept to support the medical necessity for a heart transplant are: Hemodynamic compromise due to heart failure (428.9 Heart failure, unspecified);