Summary & Overview

CPT 0975T: Enzymatic Burn Debridement, First 100 sq cm

CPT code 0975T identifies a specific enzymatic debridement procedure for removal of nonviable burn tissue from the scalp, neck, hands, feet, and multiple digits, covering the first 100 square centimeters of treated area. This procedure requires anesthesia and involves wound cleansing, enzyme application, mechanical removal of loosened tissue, and patient monitoring. Nationally, the code matters because it delineates a defined, device- or biologic-assisted approach to burn care that can affect site-of-service selection, perioperative planning, and claims adjudication.

Key payers in coverage and reimbursement discussions include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical context for enzymatic burn debridement, typical settings where the service is delivered, and the operational elements captured by the code. The publication provides benchmarks for utilization and reimbursement patterns, highlights policy and coding considerations relevant to payers listed above, and clarifies billing scope such as the 100 sq cm unit of service. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable, and clinical nuances of the procedure are summarized to inform coding, billing, and payer policy review on a national scale.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicare0975TCPTenzymatic debridementburn caresurgical procedurewound managementanesthesiaoutpatient surgeryoperative monitoring

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 0975T describes a debridement procedure in which the provider removes nonviable burn eschar from the scalp, neck, hands, feet, and multiple digits using an enzyme that selectively digests damaged tissue while preserving healthy skin. The procedure includes wound cleansing, topical enzyme application, mechanical removal of the loosened tissue, and continuous patient monitoring during the treatment. This code applies to the first 100 square centimeters of treated area.

Service type: Enzymatic burn debridement
Typical site of service: Hospital operating room, outpatient surgical center, or procedure room where anesthesia and monitored care are available

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 34-year-old male sustained partial-thickness and mixed-depth thermal burns to the scalp, hands, and dorsal feet after a kitchen stove flash burn. Initial emergency department care included airway assessment, fluid resuscitation, pain control, tetanus update, and burn wound cleansing. On hospital day 3 the burn surgeon evaluated persistent adherent eschar and devitalized tissue concentrated over multiple digits and portions of the scalp and evaluated for enzymatic debridement using a collagenase-like enzymatic agent. The procedure is performed in a procedure room or operating room under monitored anesthesia care or local/regional anesthesia with sedation. The workflow includes pre-procedure consent and time-in/time-out, wound cleansing and preparation, application of the enzymatic agent to the first 100 sq cm of affected skin, mechanical removal of the loosened necrotic tissue, irrigation and dressing application, and intra-procedure patient monitoring. Post-procedure instructions include wound care, analgesia, and scheduled re-evaluation for additional debridement or definitive closure.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when work required is substantially greater than typical for this procedure (document justification).
`51`

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207P00000X	Burn Surgery (Plastic Surgery - Burn)	Burn surgeons or plastic surgeons with burn focus commonly perform enzymatic debridement.
207L00000X	Plastic Surgery	Plastic surgeons manage complex burn wound debridement and reconstruction.
207H00000X	General Surgery	General surgeons with burn experience perform debridement in hospital settings.
364L00000X	Wound Care Medicine	Wound care specialists provide enzymatic debridement and dressing management.
163W00000X	Anesthesiology	Anesthesiologists or CRNAs provide monitored anesthesia care during the procedure.

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`T31.1`	Burn of multiple regions, full thickness	Full-thickness burns may require staged debridement; enzymatic debridement can aid in selective removal of necrotic tissue on multiple areas.
`T31.2`	Burn of multiple regions, partial thickness	Partial-thickness burns with devitalized tissue often are candidates for enzymatic debridement to preserve viable skin.
`T20.2`	Burn of scalp, partial thickness	Location-specific code for scalp burns addressed by this procedure.
`T22.2`	Burn of hand, partial thickness	Hand burns frequently require careful debridement to preserve tendon and digit function.
`T23.2`	Burn of wrist and hand, partial thickness	Codes for hand/wrist involvement that correlate to areas treated with enzymatic debridement.
`T24.2`	Burn of foot, partial thickness	Foot involvement requiring enzymatic debridement to remove necrotic tissue while preserving plantar skin.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`11042`	Debridement, subcutaneous tissue (includes epidermis and dermis, if performed); first 20 sq cm or less	May be used for surgical sharp debridement of deeper tissues when enzymatic debridement is insufficient or for subsequent operative debridement.
`11045`	Debridement, muscle and/or fascia (includes epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous tissue, and muscle/fascia, if performed); first 20 sq cm or less	Used when debridement requires removal into muscle/fascia beyond enzymatic capability.
`16020`	Dressing and/or debridement of burn wound; initial or subsequent, per dressing	Used for ongoing burn wound care and dressing changes following enzymatic debridement.
`99152`	Moderate sedation services provided by the same physician performing the procedure (initial 30 minutes)	May apply when the surgeon provides monitored anesthesia care or procedural sedation during enzymatic debridement (payer rules apply).
`12001`	Simple repair of superficial wounds of face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips; 2.5 cm or less	Used for closure of small areas after debridement when primary closure is indicated.
`97602`	Removal of devitalized tissue from wound(s); non-selective debridement, without anesthesia (e.g., wet-to-dry dressings)	May be used for non-enzymatic bedside debridement methods during follow-up care.

OpenPayer