HCPCS 32650

Thoracoscopy, surgical; with pleurodesis (eg, mechanical or chemical)

AI EXPLANATION: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) with pleurodesis is a minimally invasive chest procedure. A surgeon creates small incisions in the chest wall to insert a tiny camera and surgical tools between the ribs. The surgeon then treats the pleural space—the thin area between the lung and the inner chest wall—either chemically or mechanically to seal the layers together. This prevents fluid or air from repeatedly building up around the lungs.