2025 CPT code 15261
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Surgery - Integumentary System Feed
Full-thickness skin graft, including direct closure of donor site; nose, ears, eyelids, and/or lips; each additional 20 sq cm or part thereof (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure).
Modifiers may be applicable to this code depending on the specific circumstances.
Medical necessity must be established by documenting the underlying condition requiring the skin graft.
The physician performs a full-thickness skin graft, harvesting skin from a donor site and transplanting it to the recipient site on the nose, ears, eyelids, and/or lips. Both the donor and recipient sites are closed. This code is for each additional 20 sq cm or part thereof.
In simple words: This code is for an additional skin graft on areas like the nose, ears, eyelids, or lips, where a full layer of skin is taken from another area of your body and used to cover the wound. This code is used when more than one graft is needed during the same procedure.
This code describes a procedure where a full-thickness skin graft is taken from a donor site and placed on the nose, ears, eyelids, and/or lips. The donor site is then closed directly. This code is used for each additional 20 sq cm or part thereof of graft area and is reported in addition to the primary procedure code (15260).
Example 1: A patient has a 30 sq cm defect on their nose and a 15 sq cm defect on their ear, both requiring full-thickness skin grafts. 15260 would be reported for the first 20 sq cm, and 15261 would be reported twice – once for the additional 10 sq cm on the nose and once for the 15 sq cm on the ear., A patient has a 25 sq cm defect on their lip following the removal of a lesion. 15260 would be reported for the first 20 sq cm, and 15261 would be reported once for the additional 5 sq cm., A patient requires a full-thickness graft on their eyelid due to burns.If the area exceeds 20 sq cm, 15260 is reported along with 15261 to account for each additional 20 sq cm.
Documentation should include the size and location of the recipient site(s), the location of the donor site, the method of closure for both sites, and the complexity of the repair.
** Repair of the donor site requiring a skin graft or local flaps is considered a separate procedure.For eyelids also check cpt code range 67961-67975.Use 15261 in conjunction with 15260.
- Global Days : Included in primary procedure (15260)
- Specialties:Plastic Surgery, Dermatology, Otolaryngology,Facial Plastic Surgery,Ophthalmology
- Place of Service:Ambulatory Surgical Center, Hospital Outpatient, Physician's Office