2025 CPT code 11312
Effective Date: N/A Surgery - Surgical Procedures on the Integumentary System Feed
Shaving of epidermal or dermal lesion, single lesion, face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, mucous membrane; lesion diameter 1.1 to 2.0 cm.
Modifier 59 can be used to indicate a distinct procedural service when multiple lesions are shaved during the same encounter.
Medical necessity for this code depends on the specific lesion characteristics and clinical judgment. Justification may include cosmetic reasons, symptomatic relief (e.g., itching, bleeding), or suspicion of malignancy requiring histopathological examination.
The physician prepares the patient, administers local anesthesia, and uses a blade to shave the lesion horizontally. The process typically reaches the middle dermis without affecting subcutaneous tissue. Cautery is used to control bleeding. No sutures are required, and the physician dresses the wound.
In simple words: This procedure involves shaving off a skin lesion on the face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or inside the mouth. The lesion is between 1.1 and 2.0 cm in size. The doctor numbs the area and uses a sharp blade to remove the lesion.A special tool may be used to stop any bleeding, and no stitches are needed.
This code describes the surgical removal of a single epidermal or dermal lesion from the face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mucous membrane by shaving. The lesion's diameter is between 1.1 and 2.0 cm.The procedure includes local anesthesia and chemical or electrocauterization of the wound. Shaving implies a sharp, horizontal slicing technique that removes the lesion without a full-thickness dermal excision, thus suturing is not required.
Example 1: A patient presents with a 1.5 cm benign lesion on their nose. The physician performs a shave excision under local anesthesia using a horizontal slicing technique. Electrocautery is used to control bleeding, and the wound is dressed., A patient has a 1.2 cm seborrheic keratosis on their lip. The physician performs a shave removal. The lesion is excised down to the middle dermis without disturbing the subcutaneous tissue. Electrocautery is employed to achieve hemostasis, and no sutures are necessary., A patient has a 1.8 cm diameter lesion on their eyelid. The physician uses a shave technique to remove it. Local anesthetic is used, and cautery is applied to control bleeding. The wound is dressed appropriately, and the specimen is sent to pathology for evaluation.
Documentation should include lesion size, location, description, method of removal (shaving), use of anesthesia and cautery, and any complications. The report from the pathologist if sent for testing should also be included.
- Revenue Code: P6A - MINOR PROCEDURES - SKIN
- Specialties:Dermatology, Plastic Surgery, Family Medicine, General Surgery
- Place of Service:Office, Outpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center