Summary & Overview
CPT 15771: Autologous Fat Grafting, 50 cc or Less
CPT code 15771 represents autologous fat grafting where fat is harvested by liposuction from one site and injected into another site on the trunk, breasts, scalp, arms, or legs, with 50 cc or less of fat used. The code captures a commonly performed reconstructive and cosmetic procedure used for contour refinement and soft-tissue defect filling. Nationally, this code is relevant to surgical practices, ambulatory surgery centers, and hospital outpatient departments where soft-tissue reconstruction and cosmetic contouring are performed.
Key payers considered in the analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise summary of what the code denotes, who typically furnishes the service, and where it is commonly delivered. The publication outlines payer coverage patterns and benchmarks where available, summarizes coding and billing considerations specific to small-volume autologous fat injections, and provides clinical context distinguishing this procedure from larger-volume fat grafting services.
This summary equips clinicians, billers, and policy analysts with a clear understanding of the procedure captured by CPT code 15771, the typical care settings, and the payer landscape nationally. Data not provided in the input, such as exact payer policy details, associated ICD-10 diagnoses, and related codes, are noted as unavailable and are not included.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 15771 describes harvesting autologous fat by liposuction from one location and injecting it into another location on the trunk, breasts, scalp, arms, or legs (one or more of those areas) to fill defects or reshape contours. This code represents 50 cc or less of autologous fat used for injection.
Service type: Autologous fat grafting / fat transfer by liposuction and injection
Typical site of service: Outpatient surgical setting, ambulatory surgery center, or hospital outpatient department
Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 42-year-old female seeks autologous fat grafting to correct a persistent contour defect of the lower abdomen following prior abdominoplasty. The surgeon harvests adipose tissue by liposuction from the patient’s flanks, processes the aspirate, and injects up to 50 cc of purified fat into focal depressions of the lower abdominal subcutaneous layer to improve contour and symmetry. The patient arrives to an outpatient surgical center, undergoes preoperative marking and local or general anesthesia per surgeon preference, and receives intraoperative liposuction of a donor site (flanks) followed by fat preparation and microinjection into the recipient site. Postoperative care includes standard wound dressings, activity restrictions, and follow-up visits to assess graft take and wound healing. Typical sites of service are outpatient ambulatory surgical centers or hospital outpatient departments. The service type is an operative autologous fat grafting procedure using liposuction harvest and injection of 50 cc or less into trunk, breast, scalp, arms, or legs, as described by code 15771.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when work or complexity substantially exceeds the typical service for 15771. |
| Distinct procedural service | Use when is performed in a distinct anatomical site or separate session from other procedures not normally reported together.