Summary & Overview
CPT 25230: Excision of Radial Styloid Process
CPT code 25230 denotes surgical excision of the styloid process of the radius, an orthopedic procedure performed to address symptomatic radial styloid pathology such as impingement or persistent pain. This code is relevant nationally for hospital systems, ambulatory surgery centers, orthopedic and hand surgeons, and payers because it represents a discrete operative service with specific coding and billing implications.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of the clinical context for the procedure, benchmarks for utilization and site-of-service patterns where available, coding considerations, and common modifiers used with operative musculoskeletal procedures. The publication outlines where the procedure is typically performed (ambulatory surgical centers and hospital operating rooms) and describes the service type as orthopedic hand/wrist surgery involving excision of bony tissue.
This summary equips clinicians, coding professionals, and revenue cycle staff with a concise reference to the code’s clinical meaning and operational context. Data not available in the input will be noted where applicable in detailed sections that follow.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 25230 describes a surgical procedure in which the provider excises the styloid process of the radius bone. The code represents an operative service focused on removal of a bony prominence of the distal radius, typically performed to relieve impingement, pain, or functional limitation associated with the radial styloid.
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Service type: Surgical excision of bone (orthopedic hand/wrist surgery)
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Typical site of service: Ambulatory surgical center or hospital operating room
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult presenting with radial-sided wrist pain, decreased range of motion, and focal tenderness over the radial styloid after chronic tenosynovitis, distal radial fracture malunion, or persistent pain following conservative care. Imaging (radiographs, CT, or MRI) demonstrates an elongated or symptomatic radial styloid process impinging on the abductor pollicis longus/extensor pollicis brevis tendons or causing radiocarpal impingement. Prior to surgery, the clinical workflow includes outpatient evaluation by an orthopedic or hand surgeon, preoperative imaging and clearance, informed consent, and documentation of failed nonsurgical management (eg, splinting, NSAIDs, corticosteroid injection, physical therapy). The operative encounter for 25230 involves excision of part or all of the radial styloid under regional block or general anesthesia in an ambulatory surgery center or hospital operating room, with intraoperative documentation of the anatomic findings, extent of excision, hemostasis, and any fixation or tendon repair performed. Postoperative documentation includes neurovascular status, wound care instructions, pain control, and follow-up for hand therapy as indicated. Typical site of service is an ambulatory surgery center or hospital outpatient operating room. Service type: surgical — open/excisional orthopedic hand/wrist procedure.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component |