Summary & Overview
CPT 15120: Split-Thickness Autograft for Face, Hands, Feet and Specialized Sites
CPT code 15120 represents a split‑thickness autograft procedure used for reconstruction of specialized and high‑visibility anatomic sites — including the face, scalp, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, feet, and multiple digits. It applies to the excision and placement of the graft for the initial 100 square centimeters or less, or 1% of body area for an infant or child. The code is clinically important in burn care, reconstructive plastic surgery, and complex wound management where donor skin is needed for functional and cosmetic restoration.
Key payers in the analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, United Healthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find national context on clinical applicability and coding scope, comparisons to related skin graft codes, and the typical settings where the procedure is billed. The publication outlines common diagnostic scenarios that align with the code, describes related procedural codes for additional graft area or different graft types, and identifies common billing modifiers and taxonomy specialties associated with providers who commonly report this service.
This summary is intended for coding professionals, revenue cycle staff, and clinical leaders seeking a concise reference to CPT 15120's clinical definition, billing context, and related coding relationships at a national level.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 15120 describes a split‑thickness autograft procedure for reconstruction of the face, scalp, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, feet, and/or multiple digits. The code covers excision and placement of the graft for the first 100 square centimeters or less, or 1% of body area for an infant or child.
Service type: Skin grafting — split‑thickness autograft for complex or specialized anatomic sites.
Typical site of service: Operating room or procedural suite for reconstructive plastic surgery or burn reconstruction on the head, neck, hands, feet, genitalia, and other specified small or specialized regions.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 6-year-old child presents to the burn service after sustaining deep partial- and full-thickness thermal burns to the face and left hand. After initial resuscitation and wound debridement in the operating room, the surgical team performs a split‑thickness skin autograft to the face and multiple digits to achieve coverage of exposed dermis and promote healing. The procedure involves harvesting a split‑thickness graft from the thigh, preparing the recipient sites on the face and digits, securing the grafts with sutures and dressings, and applying appropriate immobilization for the hand. Postoperative workflow includes monitoring in the post‑anesthesia care unit, pain control, wound checks, graft viability assessments, dressing changes, and scheduled follow‑up with the burn/plastic surgery clinic for graft take evaluation and scar management.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
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24 | Data not available in the input. | Data not available in the input. |
| Modifier | Description |
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