Summary & Overview
CPT 15774: Autologous Fat Grafting for Soft-Tissue Augmentation
CPT code 15774 denotes autologous fat grafting for soft-tissue augmentation: harvesting fat by liposuction from one site and injecting up to 25 cc into another site on the face, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, and/or feet. The code captures a common reconstructive and cosmetic procedure used to correct contour defects, restore soft-tissue volume after trauma or surgery, and address atrophic changes. Nationally, this code is clinically relevant across aesthetic, reconstructive, and dermatologic practices and influences coverage, documentation, and billing for minimally invasive soft-tissue procedures.
Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context, typical sites of service, and expected billing considerations tied to this procedure. The publication outlines benchmarks for utilization and coding practice, summarizes payer coverage patterns where available, and highlights policy and documentation issues that commonly affect claim acceptance. Clinical scenarios and service settings are described to clarify when CPT code 15774 is appropriate.
Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, and payer-specific policy details are noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 15774 describes autologous fat grafting in which the provider harvests fat by liposuction from one anatomical site and injects it into another site on the face, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, and/or feet to fill defects or reshape contours. This code specifically represents up to 25 cc of autologous fat used for injection.
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Service type: Autologous fat harvesting and injection (lipofilling/lipotransfer) for soft-tissue augmentation and contouring
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Typical site of service: Ambulatory surgical centers, hospital outpatient departments, and office-based procedure settings where minor surgical and cosmetic reconstructive procedures are performed
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 45-year-old patient presents to an outpatient ambulatory surgical center with volume loss and contour irregularities of the midface following prior trauma and soft-tissue atrophy. After evaluation by a board-certified plastic surgeon, the patient elects autologous fat grafting to restore facial volume. The procedure includes harvest of adipose tissue by liposuction from a donor site (commonly the abdomen or thigh), processing of the harvested fat, and injection of up to 25 cc of autologous fat into facial subcutaneous and subperiosteal planes to fill defects and reshape contours. The clinical workflow includes preoperative assessment and consent, sterile field preparation, infiltration and tumescent liposuction for fat harvest, fat processing (centrifugation or filtration), careful layered injection into target facial areas, hemostasis, dressing, and post-procedure recovery with routine postoperative instructions and follow-up. Typical sites of service are outpatient ambulatory surgery centers, hospital outpatient departments, and office-based surgical suites equipped for minor surgical procedures. Typical anesthesia ranges from local anesthesia with sedation to general anesthesia depending on patient factors and concurrent procedures.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
11 | Normal, uncomplicated procedure | Use when the service is performed under routine circumstances without unusual circumstances or complications |
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when work required to perform the procedure is substantially greater than typically required (extensive additional work) |
50 | Bilateral procedure | Use when identical procedures are performed on both sides of the body when applicable to paired facial structures |
51 | Multiple procedures | Use when additional distinct procedures are performed on the same day; report with primary procedure according to payer rules |
52 | Reduced services | Use when the service is partially reduced or discontinued at the physician's discretion |
53 | Discontinued procedure | Use when the procedure is started but discontinued due to extenuating circumstances or those that threaten patient well-being |
58 | Staged or related procedure by same physician during postoperative period | Use when the procedure is planned as a staged repair following an initial procedure |
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 | Not commonly used for adult facial fat grafting; included for completeness when pediatric cases apply |
66 | Surgical team (multiple surgeons) | Use when a coordinated team performs portions of a complex case |
QX | CRNA service with medical direction by physician (when applicable) | Use when a certified registered nurse anesthetist provides services under specified physician supervision criteria |
QK | Medical direction of 2-4 concurrent anesthesia cases | Use when physician medical directs multiple concurrent anesthetics meeting CMS criteria |
QY | Attending anesthesiologist medically directs one CRNA | Use when one-to-one medical direction of CRNA is documented per payer rules |
GC | Service performed in part by resident under teaching physician | Use when a resident participates and the teaching physician documents their involvement per payer requirements |
| Taxonomy Code | Specialty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
207P00000X | Plastic Surgery | Most common specialty performing facial autologous fat grafting |
208000000X | Dermatology | Dermatologic surgeons perform facial fat grafting for contour/restorative purposes |
2084P0800X | Otolaryngology (ENT) | Facial plastic and reconstructive cases performed by ENT surgeons with facial plastic fellowship training |
207L00000X | Cosmetic Surgery | Surgeons focusing on cosmetic procedures who perform facial fat grafting |
363A00000X | General Surgery | General surgeons with cosmetic/reconstructive training may perform autologous fat grafting |
Related Diagnoses
| ICD-10 Code | Description | Clinical Relevance |
|---|---|---|
M22.2 | Recurrent dislocation of patella | Data not available in the input. |
Data not available | Data not available | Data not available |
Data not available | Data not available | Data not available |
Data not available | Data not available | Data not available |
Data not available | Data not available | Data not available |
Related CPT Codes
| CPT Code | Description | Relationship to This Procedure |
|---|---|---|
15774 | Harvest and injection of autologous fat grafting, 25 cc or less, face/neck/etc. | Primary code for harvesting fat by liposuction and injecting up to 25 cc of autologous fat into facial or other listed sites |
15876 | Secondary revision of reconstructed soft tissue defect; face | Report for subsequent staged revision procedures addressing the injected area when additional contouring is required |
15877 | Secondary revision of reconstructed soft tissue defect; other than face, ears, eyelids, mouth, neck, genitalia, hands, or feet — trunk, arms, legs | Use when grafting/revision involves non-facial anatomic regions beyond those included in 15774 |
20926 | Autologous omentum free tissue transfer, includes microvascular anastomosis | Related complex reconstructive option for larger defects when fat grafting is insufficient; reported when microsurgical transfer is performed |
19318 | Reduction mammoplasty — bilateral (annually relevant for concurrent donor site considerations) | May be reported if significant donor-site procedures such as reduction mammoplasty are performed in the same operative course (report per multiple-procedure rules) |