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CPT 26045: Open Palmar Fascia Release for Dupuytren's Contracture

CPT code 26045 covers an open incision of the palmar fascia to treat Dupuytren's contracture, a condition that leads to progressive hand contractures and impaired finger extension. Nationally, this surgical code is relevant for orthopedics, hand surgery, and plastic surgery providers managing functional impairment from palmar fibromatosis. The code delineates a definitive open-release procedure as opposed to percutaneous or injectable alternatives, and it informs surgical coding, payment, and utilization tracking across outpatient and inpatient surgical settings.

Key payers included in this analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will learn clinical context for the procedure, common sites of service, and typical service line placement; an overview of common modifiers used with surgical codes; and what to expect in claims processing and payer coverage considerations at a national level. The publication summarizes benchmarking approaches and policy considerations relevant to surgical management of Dupuytren's contracture, while clarifying where input data are available or not.

Data not available in the input: Associated taxonomies, specific ICD-10 diagnosis pairings, related CPT codes, and payer-specific reimbursement rates.

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Billing Code Overview

CPT code 26045 describes an open surgical procedure in which the provider incises the palmar fascia, the connective tissue beneath the skin of the palm. The operation is performed to release contractures associated with Dupuytren's contracture, a progressive fibrosing condition that can cause permanent bending of the fingers and impair hand function.

Service type: Open surgical fasciectomy or fasciotomy of the palm performed to release Dupuytren's contracture
Typical site of service: Outpatient surgery center or hospital operating room; procedure may also occur in an ambulatory surgical setting depending on clinical needs and facility capabilities

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CPT 26045: Open Palmar Fascia Release for Dupuytren's Contracture

Data not available in the input: Associated taxonomies, specific ICD-10 diagnosis pairings, related CPT codes, and payer-specific reimbursement rates.

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Billing Code Overview

Service type: Open surgical fasciectomy or fasciotomy of the palm performed to release Dupuytren's contracture
Typical site of service: Outpatient surgery center or hospital operating room; procedure may also occur in an ambulatory surgical setting depending on clinical needs and facility capabilities

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A typical patient is a 60-year-old male with progressive flexion contractures of the ring and small fingers of the dominant right hand, causing difficulty with grasp, hygiene, and activities of daily living. Conservative measures including occupational therapy and night splinting failed to halt progression over several months. Physical exam shows palpable palmar cords and a PIP and MCP joint contracture consistent with Dupuytren's contracture. The hand surgeon schedules an open palmar fasciectomy/contracture release under regional block with monitored anesthesia care. Preoperative workflow includes history and physical, informed consent discussing risks (infection, neurovascular injury, recurrence, stiffness), medication reconciliation, and pre-op photos/measurements. Intraoperative steps include sterile prep, incision over the palmar cords, careful dissection to identify and excise contracted palmar fascia, protection of digital nerves and arteries, possible limited fasciectomy of cords into the digits, and wound closure with or without local flap or skin graft if needed. Postoperative workflow includes dressings and immobilization, hand therapy referral for edema control and range-of-motion, pain management, and follow-up for suture removal and monitoring for complications. Typical site of service is an ambulatory surgery center or hospital outpatient surgical suite. The service type is a surgical, open procedure for correction of Dupuytren's contracture, coded with 26045 for incision of palmar fascia (open fasciectomy/contracture release).

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`LT`	Left side	When the procedure is performed on the left hand
`RT`	Right side	When the procedure is performed on the right hand
`50`	Bilateral procedure	When symmetric bilateral palmar fasciectomies are performed and payer allows bilateral reporting
`59`	Distinct procedural service	When a separate, unrelated procedure is performed in a distinct anatomic site during the same session
`78`	Unplanned return to OR for related procedure during postoperative period	When the patient returns to the OR for a complication related to the initial `26045` in the global period
`79`	Unrelated procedure or service during the postoperative period	When an unrelated procedure is performed during the global period
`52`	Reduced services	When the procedure is partially reduced, for example limited fasciectomy due to intraoperative findings
`53`	Discontinued procedure	When the surgeon begins but discontinues the procedure for reasons that do not meet criteria for `52`
`22`	Increased procedural services	When unusual circumstances require substantially greater work than typical for `26045` (documented rationale required)
`76`	Repeat procedure by same physician (Note: not in provided list)	Data not available in the input.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`206E00000X`	Hand Surgery (Plastic Surgery subspecialty)	Surgeons with hand specialization performing complex fasciectomies
`2084P0800X`	Orthopaedic Hand Surgery	Orthopaedic surgeons focusing on hand and upper extremity procedures
`207K00000X`	Plastic Surgery	Plastic surgeons performing soft-tissue reconstruction and fasciectomy
`207L00000X`	General Surgery	General surgeons who may perform hand procedures in some settings
`363A00000X`	Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation	Provides postoperative hand therapy and rehabilitation

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`M72.0`	Palmar fascial fibromatosis [Dupuytren]	Primary diagnosis for palmar fasciectomy/fasciectomy and directly indicates Dupuytren's contracture requiring `26045`
`M24.2`	Contracture of joint	General code for joint contracture when specific hand codes are not documented; may be used as supporting diagnosis
`M65.4`	Trigger finger	May coexist with Dupuytren contractures and can influence surgical planning if simultaneous release is needed
`M79.64`	Pain in hand	Symptom code that documents pain related to the contracture influencing functional limitation
`Z47.89`	Encounter for other orthopedic aftercare	Used for postoperative follow-up visits and rehabilitation encounters

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`26046`	Fasciectomy, palmar with release of digital extension contracture (repair of released flexor tendon not included)	May be used when fasciectomy extends into the digits beyond the palmar fascial release and more extensive contracture release is performed
`26123`	Tenolysis, flexor tendon sheath, hand or finger, primary	Performed if there is adhesions or tendon entrapment noted and tendon release is clinically required during the same operative episode
`13131`	Secondary closure of surgical wound, extensive	Used when additional soft-tissue coverage or more complex closure (local flap or graft) is required after fasciectomy
`12051`	Repair, intermediate wound, face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips; 2.6 cm to 7.5 cm (example skin repair code)	Applicable for separate skin closure procedures adjacent to the fasciectomy incision when layered closure is reported separately (verify payer policies)
`20610`	Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection, small joint (eg, fingers)	May be performed pre- or postoperatively for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes in adjacent joints; not typically reported with `26045` unless distinct

CPT 26010: Incision and Drainage of Finger Abscess

CPT-26011-FINGER-ABSCESS-DRAINAGE-FELON-INCISION-AND-DRAINAGE

CPT 26011: Incision and Drainage of Finger Abscess (Felon)

CPT-26020-TENDON-SHEATH-DRAINAGE-FINGER-PALM

CPT 26020: Incision and Drainage of Infected Tendon Sheath, Finger/Palm

CPT-26025-INCISION-DRAINAGE-INFECTED-PALMAR-BURSA-HAND

CPT 26025: Incision and Drainage of Infected Palmar Bursa, Hand

CPT-26030-DRAINAGE-MULTIPLE-PALMAR-BURSAE

CPT 26030: Drainage of Multiple Infected Palmar Bursae

CPT-26034-INCISION-OF-BONE-CORTEX-FOR-HAND-FINGER-INFECTION

CPT 26034: Incision of Bone Cortex for Hand or Finger Infection

CPT-26035-FINGER-HAND-DECOMPRESSION-INJECTION-INJURY

CPT 26035: Decompression of Fingers/Hand After Injection Injury

CPT-26037-HAND-FASCIOTOMY-DECOMPRESSION

CPT 26037: Hand Fasciotomy to Relieve Fascial Pressure

CPT-26040-DUPUYTRENS-CONTRACTURE-PALM-FASCIA-RELEASE

CPT 26040: Palmar Fascial Release for Dupuytren's Contracture

CPT-26055-TRIGGER-FINGER-TENDON-SHEATH-RELEASE

CPT 26055: Trigger Finger — Tendon Sheath Release

Showing 1–10 of 14

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

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Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

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Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`LT`	Left side	When the procedure is performed on the left hand
`RT`	Right side	When the procedure is performed on the right hand
`50`	Bilateral procedure	When symmetric bilateral palmar fasciectomies are performed and payer allows bilateral reporting
`59`	Distinct procedural service	When a separate, unrelated procedure is performed in a distinct anatomic site during the same session
`78`	Unplanned return to OR for related procedure during postoperative period	When the patient returns to the OR for a complication related to the initial `26045` in the global period
`79`	Unrelated procedure or service during the postoperative period	When an unrelated procedure is performed during the global period
`52`	Reduced services	When the procedure is partially reduced, for example limited fasciectomy due to intraoperative findings
`53`	Discontinued procedure	When the surgeon begins but discontinues the procedure for reasons that do not meet criteria for `52`
`22`	Increased procedural services	When unusual circumstances require substantially greater work than typical for `26045` (documented rationale required)
`76`	Repeat procedure by same physician (Note: not in provided list)	Data not available in the input.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`206E00000X`	Hand Surgery (Plastic Surgery subspecialty)	Surgeons with hand specialization performing complex fasciectomies
`2084P0800X`	Orthopaedic Hand Surgery	Orthopaedic surgeons focusing on hand and upper extremity procedures
`207K00000X`	Plastic Surgery	Plastic surgeons performing soft-tissue reconstruction and fasciectomy
`207L00000X`	General Surgery	General surgeons who may perform hand procedures in some settings
`363A00000X`	Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation	Provides postoperative hand therapy and rehabilitation

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`M72.0`	Palmar fascial fibromatosis [Dupuytren]	Primary diagnosis for palmar fasciectomy/fasciectomy and directly indicates Dupuytren's contracture requiring `26045`
`M24.2`	Contracture of joint	General code for joint contracture when specific hand codes are not documented; may be used as supporting diagnosis
`M65.4`	Trigger finger	May coexist with Dupuytren contractures and can influence surgical planning if simultaneous release is needed
`M79.64`	Pain in hand	Symptom code that documents pain related to the contracture influencing functional limitation
`Z47.89`	Encounter for other orthopedic aftercare	Used for postoperative follow-up visits and rehabilitation encounters

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`26046`	Fasciectomy, palmar with release of digital extension contracture (repair of released flexor tendon not included)	May be used when fasciectomy extends into the digits beyond the palmar fascial release and more extensive contracture release is performed
`26123`	Tenolysis, flexor tendon sheath, hand or finger, primary	Performed if there is adhesions or tendon entrapment noted and tendon release is clinically required during the same operative episode
`13131`	Secondary closure of surgical wound, extensive	Used when additional soft-tissue coverage or more complex closure (local flap or graft) is required after fasciectomy
`12051`	Repair, intermediate wound, face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips; 2.6 cm to 7.5 cm (example skin repair code)	Applicable for separate skin closure procedures adjacent to the fasciectomy incision when layered closure is reported separately (verify payer policies)
`20610`	Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection, small joint (eg, fingers)	May be performed pre- or postoperatively for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes in adjacent joints; not typically reported with `26045` unless distinct

CPT 26010: Incision and Drainage of Finger Abscess

CPT-26011-FINGER-ABSCESS-DRAINAGE-FELON-INCISION-AND-DRAINAGE

CPT 26011: Incision and Drainage of Finger Abscess (Felon)

CPT-26020-TENDON-SHEATH-DRAINAGE-FINGER-PALM

CPT 26020: Incision and Drainage of Infected Tendon Sheath, Finger/Palm

CPT-26025-INCISION-DRAINAGE-INFECTED-PALMAR-BURSA-HAND

CPT 26025: Incision and Drainage of Infected Palmar Bursa, Hand

CPT-26030-DRAINAGE-MULTIPLE-PALMAR-BURSAE

CPT 26030: Drainage of Multiple Infected Palmar Bursae

CPT-26034-INCISION-OF-BONE-CORTEX-FOR-HAND-FINGER-INFECTION

CPT 26034: Incision of Bone Cortex for Hand or Finger Infection

CPT-26035-FINGER-HAND-DECOMPRESSION-INJECTION-INJURY

CPT 26035: Decompression of Fingers/Hand After Injection Injury

CPT-26037-HAND-FASCIOTOMY-DECOMPRESSION

CPT 26037: Hand Fasciotomy to Relieve Fascial Pressure

CPT-26040-DUPUYTRENS-CONTRACTURE-PALM-FASCIA-RELEASE

CPT 26040: Palmar Fascial Release for Dupuytren's Contracture

CPT-26055-TRIGGER-FINGER-TENDON-SHEATH-RELEASE

CPT 26055: Trigger Finger — Tendon Sheath Release

Showing 1–10 of 14

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

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CPT 26045: Open Palmar Fascia Release for Dupuytren's Contracture

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Billing Code Overview

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CPT 26045: Open Palmar Fascia Release for Dupuytren's Contracture

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Billing Code Overview

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

References