Summary & Overview
CPT 26117: Excision of Soft-Tissue Tumor of Hand or Finger (<3 cm)
CPT code 26117 denotes an extensive excision of a soft-tissue tumor or mass in the hand or finger when malignancy is suspected, with the lesion and margins measuring less than 3 cm. This code captures a higher-complexity, site-specific surgical oncology procedure performed to remove potentially malignant masses and achieve oncologic margins while preserving hand function. Nationally, accurate use of this code affects surgical reporting, payer adjudication, and quality measurement for hand tumor management.
Key payers addressed in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise review of clinical context for the procedure, typical sites of service, and common billing considerations. The publication outlines benchmarks and coding guidance relevant to claims submission, common modifiers encountered in practice, and how the code aligns with related surgical services.
This summary equips clinicians, practice managers, and billing professionals with the essential context for CPT code 26117, including clinical indications, expected care setting, and the types of reporting and documentation issues that commonly arise for small (<3 cm) hand and finger soft-tissue tumor excisions. Data not available in the input.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 26117 describes an extensive excision of a tumor or mass in the soft tissues of the hand or finger when malignancy (for example, a sarcoma) is suspected. The procedure includes removal of the mass and surrounding tissues with the combined diameter of the tumor and its margins measuring less than 3 cm.
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Service type: Surgical excision of soft tissue tumor in the hand or finger
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Typical site of service: Operating room or outpatient surgical suite, commonly performed in hand surgery or orthopedic/plastic surgery clinic settings equipped for minor operative procedures
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 58-year-old patient presents to a hand surgeon with a firm, enlarging soft-tissue mass on the dorsum of the hand measuring approximately 2.2 cm on physical exam and confirmed by MRI to be a discrete lesion suspicious for a soft-tissue sarcoma. The surgeon schedules an operative excision under regional block or general anesthesia in an ambulatory surgery center or hospital outpatient department. Intraoperatively the provider performs an extensive excision of the mass with a margin of surrounding soft tissue, ensuring the total diameter including margins is less than 3 cm. Specimens are submitted for histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Typical workflow includes preoperative evaluation and consent, perioperative imaging review, anesthesia clearance, sterile excision with hemostasis, wound closure or flap/graft planning if needed, specimen labeling and pathology submission, and postoperative instructions with wound care and oncology referral if malignancy is confirmed. Usual sites of service are the ambulatory surgery center, hospital outpatient department, or inpatient operating room for complex cases.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when work or time is substantially greater than typical for 26117 due to extensive dissection or unexpected complexity. |