2025 CPT code 11621
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Surgery - Surgical Procedures on the Skin, Subcutaneous and Accessory Structures Surgery Feed
Excision of a malignant lesion, including margins, from the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia; lesion diameter 0.6 to 1.0 cm.
Modifiers may be applicable, such as modifier 58 for staged or related procedures or modifier 59 for distinct procedural services.
Medical necessity for excision of malignant skin lesions is based on the diagnosis of malignancy and the need for complete removal to prevent spread or recurrence.
The physician prepares the area, administers local anesthesia, marks the margins, excises the lesion with appropriate margins, controls bleeding, and closes the wound with simple sutures. The excised tissue is usually sent for pathological examination.
In simple words: Removal of a cancerous skin growth, including a safety margin of healthy tissue, from the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitals. The area removed, including the margin, is between 0.6 and 1.0 cm in diameter. This procedure involves numbing the area and closing the wound with stitches.
Excision of a malignant lesion, including margins, from the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia. The excised diameter, including margins, is 0.6 to 1.0 cm. This includes local anesthesia and simple closure.
Example 1: A patient presents with a 0.7 cm basal cell carcinoma on the scalp. The physician excises the lesion, including margins, and closes the wound with sutures. Code 11621 is reported., A patient has a 1.0 cm squamous cell carcinoma on the hand. The lesion is excised, including margins, under local anesthesia. Code 11621 is reported., A patient with a 0.9 cm melanoma on the foot undergoes excision of the lesion, including margins.The physician performs simple closure of the wound. Code 11621 is reported.
Documentation should include lesion site, size (including margins), type of malignancy, and method of closure. Pathology report should also be documented.
- Revenue Code: P5A (AMBULATORY PROCEDURES - SKIN)
- Specialties:Dermatology, Plastic Surgery, General Surgery, Surgical Oncology
- Place of Service:Office, Outpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center