Summary & Overview
CPT 14302: Adjacent Tissue Transfer Extension for Skin Repair
CPT code 14302 is a surgical procedure code for extending a skin repair that uses adjacent healthy tissue to repair lesions. Specifically, it covers an additional extension of up to 30.0 cm2 when performed in the same session as repair of lesions measuring 30.1 cm2 to 60.0 cm2. The code is relevant for surgical practices, hospitals, and payers because it defines billable work for additional tissue transfer performed during a single operative encounter and can affect operative coding, bundling, and reimbursement determinations at a national level.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise breakdown of the clinical context of the code, typical sites of service, and the common payer landscape. The publication provides benchmarks and coding guidance context, outlines common modifiers used with surgical repair codes (modifier details are provided elsewhere in the full publication), and summarizes implications for documentation and claims submission. This national overview is intended to clarify what CPT code 14302 represents, how it fits into skin and soft tissue repair coding, and what areas of billing and policy to consider when this service is reported.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 14302 describes an extension of a skin repair procedure during the same operative session in which adjacent healthy tissue is used to repair lesions sized between 30.1 cm2 and 60.0 cm2. The code applies when the provider extends that repair by up to an additional 30.0 cm2, and it may be performed on any anatomical area.
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Service type: Skin and soft tissue repair using adjacent tissue transfer (extension of primary repair)
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Typical site of service: Ambulatory surgical center, hospital outpatient department, or operating room setting where surgical lesion repair and tissue transfer procedures are performed
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 58-year-old male presents to an outpatient dermatologic surgery clinic with a recurrent squamous cell carcinoma on the lateral forearm requiring excision and repair. After the lesion is excised with appropriate margins, the surgeon reconstructs the defect using local tissue transfer from an adjacent site. The initial flap/advancement repair covers a primary defect measuring 45.0 cm2. During the same operative session the surgeon extends the repair by an additional 25.0 cm2 using adjacent healthy tissue to achieve tension-free closure. The procedure is performed in an ambulatory surgery center under monitored anesthesia care, with intraoperative pathology confirmation of clear margins.
Clinical workflow:
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Preoperative evaluation by the dermatologic surgeon documenting lesion size, location, and planned local tissue rearrangement.
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Intraoperative excision of the lesion with margin assessment.
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Local tissue transfer (advancement/rotation flap) performed to repair the 30.1–60.0 cm2 defect, then extended an additional up to 30.0 cm2 in the same session.
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Intraoperative and immediate postoperative documentation includes measurements of primary and extended repair areas, description of donor/adjacent tissue, hemostasis, dressings, and postoperative care instructions.
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Postoperative follow-up in clinic for wound check and suture removal.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
24 | Unrelated Evaluation and Management Service by the Same Physician During a Postoperative Period | Use if an unrelated E/M visit occurs during the global period (Note: 24 is not in the provided list, therefore Data not available in the input.) |
26 | Professional Component | Use when only the professional component of a service is billed (e.g., surgeon’s interpretive services separate from facility technical component). |
51 | Multiple Procedures | Use when multiple procedures are performed during the same operative session and payer requires reporting of multiple procedures. |
52 | Reduced Services | Use when the procedure is partially reduced or not completed as described. |
53 | Discontinued Procedure | Use when the procedure is terminated due to extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the patient's well-being. |
59 | Distinct Procedural Service | Use to indicate a procedure or service was distinct or independent from other services performed on the same day. |
62 | Two Surgeons | Use when two surgeons work together as primary surgeons performing distinct portions of the procedure. |
63 | Procedure Performed on Infants Less Than 4 kg | Use for neonatal cases meeting weight criteria. |
76 | Repeat Procedure by Same Physician | Use when the procedure is repeated later the same day by the same physician. |
78 | Unplanned Return to the Operating/Procedure Room by the Same Physician Following Initial Procedure for a Related Procedure During the Postoperative Period | Use when the patient returns to the OR the same postoperative period for a related procedure. |
80 | Assistant Surgeon | Use when an assistant surgeon participates in the procedure. |
LT | Left Side | Use to indicate procedure performed on the left side of the body. |
RT | Right Side | Use to indicate procedure performed on the right side of the body. |
| Taxonomy Code | Specialty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 207P00000X | Dermatology | Dermatologic surgeons frequently perform excision and local tissue repairs for skin cancers. |
| 207L00000X | Dermatopathology | Pathologists provide intraoperative margin assessment when frozen section is used. |
| 208000000X | General Surgery | General surgeons perform larger soft-tissue excisions and local flap repairs when lesions are deeper or involve underlying structures. |
| 207X00000X | Plastic Surgery | Plastic surgeons perform complex local flap reconstructions and extended repairs for functional or cosmetic indications. |
| 363L00000X | Anesthesiology | Provides monitored anesthesia care or general anesthesia in ambulatory surgery settings. |
Related Diagnoses
| ICD-10 Code | Description | Clinical Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Data not available in the input. | Data not available in the input. | Data not available in the input. |
Related CPT Codes
| CPT Code | Description | Relationship to This Procedure |
|---|---|---|
11606 | Excision, malignant lesion including margins, face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips; excised diameter over 4.0 cm | Primary excision code often reported before flap repair when removing a malignant lesion in the head/neck region. |
14040 | Adjacent tissue transfer or rearrangement, scalp, arms, and/or legs; defect 30.0 sq cm to 60.0 sq cm | Alternative adjacent tissue transfer code for defects in certain anatomic areas; may be used when initial defect sizing differs or to report primary reconstruction. |
13131 | Repair, complex, forehead, cheeks, chin, mouth, etc.; 2.5 cm to 7.5 cm | Complex repair codes may be reported for layered closure of smaller defects or when techniques differ; selection depends on area and size. |
15732 | Muscle, myocutaneous or fasciocutaneous flap with microvascular anastomosis; trunk | Used when a more complex flap reconstruction is required beyond local tissue transfer described by 14302. |
88342 | Intraoperative consultation and review with frozen section(s) | Pathology service billed when intraoperative frozen sections are performed to confirm margins. |