Summary & Overview
CPT 24152: Excision of Radial Head or Neck for Mass
CPT code 24152 denotes the surgical excision of the radial head or neck with surrounding tissues to remove an abnormal growth or mass. Nationally, this code captures procedures addressing bone and soft-tissue lesions in the proximal radius, typically performed in hospital operating rooms or ambulatory surgery centers. Accurate use of this code is important for clinical documentation, procedure classification, and claims processing for orthopedic and hand/elbow surgical services.
Key payers considered include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context and typical settings for use of the code, along with what to expect in payer coverage and billing practice analyses. The publication outlines benchmarks for utilization, common billing considerations tied to surgical service lines, and any recent policy updates affecting procedure coding and reimbursement where available. Where input data is incomplete, the report notes "Data not available in the input." The goal is to equip coding managers, billers, and clinical leaders with a clear, nationally-focused reference for CPT code 24152.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 24152 describes the excision of the radial head or neck with surrounding tissues to remove an abnormal growth or mass. This procedure involves surgical removal of bone and adjacent soft tissue when a lesion or mass affects the radial head or neck region of the elbow.
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Service type: Surgical excision of bone and surrounding soft tissue for removal of a mass
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Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or ambulatory surgery center
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a 45–65-year-old adult presenting with progressive lateral elbow pain, decreased range of motion, and mechanical symptoms due to a symptomatic radial head or neck mass such as a benign tumor, synovial chondromatosis, or heterotopic ossification. Conservative care (rest, NSAIDs, corticosteroid injection, physical therapy) has failed and imaging (plain radiographs, CT or MRI) demonstrates a discrete lesion involving the radial head or neck. The surgical plan is excision of the radial head or radial neck lesion with surrounding abnormal tissue under regional or general anesthesia. The clinical workflow includes preoperative evaluation and consent, imaging review, intraoperative excision of the lesion with hemostasis, possible specimen submission to pathology, wound closure, postoperative neurovascular checks, and discharge with instructions for activity modification and outpatient follow-up.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
50 | Bilateral Procedure | Use when procedures are performed on both right and left radial heads in the same operative session. |
LT | Left Side | Use to indicate the left radial head/neck procedure when laterality is required. |