Summary & Overview

CPT 17107: Cutaneous Vascular Lesion Destruction, 10–50 cm2

CPT code 17107 represents laser or other nonincisional destruction of a cutaneous vascular proliferative lesion measuring 10.0 cm2 to 50.0 cm2. This code captures a common dermatologic, bloodless surgical approach for treating vascular lesions such as port-wine stains, hemangiomas, or telangiectatic proliferations when the affected area falls within the specified size range. Nationally, accurate use of this code matters for consistent clinical documentation, appropriate billing, and aggregated tracking of procedural volume for dermatologic laser services.

Key payers referenced 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, common modifiers used with this service, and how payers commonly categorize and reimburse laser-based cutaneous vascular destruction. The publication also summarizes benchmarking considerations and coding nuances related to lesion size thresholds and service reporting.

This briefing is intended to orient clinicians, billing professionals, and policy analysts to the clinical definition and billing context of CPT code 17107, and to highlight the areas where payers and providers commonly focus reconciliation and policy review.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicare17107CPTcutaneous vascular lesiondermatologylaser surgeryambulatory surgeryprocedure codingmedical billing

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 17107 describes cutaneous vascular destruction for a cutaneous vascular proliferative lesion with an area of 10.0 cm2 to 50.0 cm2. The procedure is typically performed using a laser modality (for example, Argon, pulsed dye, or YAG) and is a bloodless, nonincisional surgical technique that destroys abnormal vascular tissue in the skin.

Service type: Laser-based cutaneous vascular lesion destruction

Typical site of service: Outpatient dermatology clinic or ambulatory surgery center, where laser-based dermatologic procedures are commonly performed.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 32-year-old patient presents to a dermatology clinic with a symptomatic congenital capillary malformation (port-wine stain) covering a 20 cm2 area on the malar cheek. Prior topical and camouflage measures were ineffective and the lesion causes persistent bleeding with minor trauma and psychosocial distress. After clinical evaluation and informed consent, the patient is scheduled for cutaneous vascular lesion destruction using a pulsed-dye laser under local anesthesia. The typical workflow: pre-procedure photography and consent, review of medical history and medications, topical or local injectable anesthesia, eye protection applied, laser parameters selected and test spot performed, staged laser application across the 20 cm2 area with cooling between passes, post-procedure cooling and dressing, discharge instructions for wound care and sun protection, and scheduling of follow-up for outcome assessment and possible additional treatments.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`11`	Professional component	When reporting only the professional component separate from the technical component (rare for laser procedures billed by facility/OP)
`22`	Increased procedural services

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207P00000X	Dermatology	Most common specialty performing cutaneous vascular laser destruction
207K00000X	Dermatopathology	Consultation for diagnosis or histologic evaluation when biopsy considered
2084P0800X	Plastic Surgery	Management of aesthetic or reconstructive vascular lesions, sometimes performs laser procedures
363LP0800X	Family Medicine	In some settings, family physicians with procedural dermatology training perform laser treatments
207L00000X	Pediatric Dermatology	For vascular lesions in children and infants requiring specialized care

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`Q82.5`	Port-wine stain	Classic indication for cutaneous vascular laser destruction to reduce discoloration and bleeding risk
`I78.0`	Hemangioma, any site	Vascular proliferative lesion often treated with laser when superficial and symptomatic
`D18.0`	Hemangioma of skin and subcutaneous tissue	Common benign vascular tumor amenable to laser ablation when cutaneous and symptomatic
`L98.0`	Pyogenic granuloma	Small vascular proliferative lesion that may be managed with destructive modalities including laser
`L98.89`	Other specified disorders of skin and subcutaneous tissue	Used for atypical or unspecified vascular proliferative lesions when more specific code not available

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`17110`	Destruction of benign lesion(s) other than skin tags or cutaneous vascular proliferative lesions; up to 14 lesions	May be performed for smaller or non-vascular benign lesions; used when lesion types differ or multiple small lesions are treated in the same session
`17111`	Destruction of benign lesions; 15 or more lesions	Used when numerous small benign lesions are destroyed during the same encounter, distinct from a single large vascular area billed with `17107`
`17000`	Destruction of premalignant lesions (e.g., actinic keratoses), first lesion	Performed when premalignant lesions are present in the treatment field and require separate destruction coding
`99213`	Office or other outpatient visit, established patient, low to moderate complexity	Typical evaluation and management code for pre-procedure assessment and follow-up visits in the outpatient setting
`17250`	Destruction, pre-malignant lesion (e.g., actinic keratosis), single lesion; chemical or electrosurgical	Alternative modality for lesion destruction when laser is not used; may be performed in the same clinical workflow