American Medical Association Issues New Category III CPT Code for ZOLL Medical’s TherOx SSO2 Therapy

CHELMSFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ZOLL^® Medical Corporation, an Asahi Kasei company that manufactures medical devices and related software solutions, announced today that the American Medical Association (AMA) CPT Editorial Panel issued a new Category III CPT^® code, effective July 1, 2021, for its TherOx^® SuperSaturated Oxygen (SSO₂) Therapy. The code, 0659T (transcatheter intracoronary infusion of supersaturated oxygen in conjunction with percutaneous coronary revascularization during acute myocardial infarction, including catheter placement, imaging guidance [e.g., fluoroscopy], angiography, and radiologic supervision and interpretation), is effective July 1, 2021 for SSO₂ Therapy including treatment of patients with left anterior descending ST-elevation myocardial infarction (LAD STEMI) heart attacks. SSO₂ Therapy is the first and only FDA-approved treatment that has been clinically proven to significantly reduce cardiac muscle damage in heart attack patients after coronary angioplasty with stenting.¹

SSO₂ Therapy is indicated for patients who suffer LAD STEMI — also known as “widowmaker” heart attacks due to the high mortality rate — and are treated within six hours of symptom onset. The therapy delivers high levels of dissolved oxygen at 7–10 times the normal amount directly to the damaged heart muscle immediately after the coronary artery has been successfully opened via angioplasty and stenting. Multiple clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of SSO₂ Therapy to reduce infarct size.^1,2,3

The Category III CPT code for SSO₂ Therapy was supported by the leadership of the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC). The decision was based on a review of published, peer-reviewed literature, the need for an accurate national code for physicians to use in reporting SSO₂, and the importance of SSO₂ as an emerging, innovative technology.

“The AMA issuing a CPT code for TherOx’s SSO₂ Therapy is a significant milestone for the millions of patients who could benefit from its use,” commented Neil Johnston, President of ZOLL Circulation. “More and more hospitals are adopting this therapy to treat patients with the most serious form of heart attacks, and now the Category III code provides another major step forward toward capturing data on SSO₂ and demonstrating improved patient outcomes.”

CPT codes are granted by the AMA CPT Editorial Panel and are widely used by government payers, including Medicare and Medicaid, and commercial health plans to process claims and determine reimbursement for healthcare services and procedures.

SSO₂ Therapy was developed by Irvine, California-based TherOx, Inc., now part of ZOLL Medical Corporation.

About ZOLL Medical Corporation

ZOLL Medical Corporation, an Asahi Kasei company, develops and markets medical devices and software solutions that help advance emergency care and save lives, while increasing clinical and operational efficiencies. With products for defibrillation and cardiac monitoring, circulation enhancement and CPR feedback, supersaturated oxygen therapy, data management, ventilation, and therapeutic temperature management, ZOLL provides a comprehensive set of technologies that help clinicians, EMS and fire professionals, as well as lay rescuers, improve patient outcomes in critical cardiopulmonary conditions. For more information, visit www.zoll.com.

About Asahi Kasei

The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its foundation in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber business, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 40,000 employees around the world, the company contributes to sustainable society by providing solutions to the world’s challenges through its three business sectors of Material, Homes, and Health Care. Its health care operations include devices and systems for acute critical care, dialysis, therapeutic apheresis, transfusion, and manufacture of biotherapeutics, as well as pharmaceuticals and diagnostic reagents. For more information, visit www.asahi-kasei.com.

Copyright © 2021 ZOLL Medical Corporation. TherOx and ZOLL are trademarks or registered trademarks of ZOLL Medical Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Asahi Kasei is a registered trademark of Asahi Kasei Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

CPT numbers and descriptors are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. CPT^® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.

¹Stone GW, et al. Circ Cardiovasc Intervent 2009;2:366-75.
²O’Neill WW, et al. Jour of Am Coll Cardiol. 2007;50: 5:397-405.
³David SW, et al. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2018;1–9.

Matt Hogan
ZOLL Medical Corporation
+1 (978) 805-6561
media@zoll.com