Summary & Overview
CPT 27632: Excision of Subcutaneous Tumor ≥3 cm
CPT code 27632 denotes a surgical excision of a subcutaneous tumor measuring 3 cm or greater in diameter with minimal removal of surrounding normal tissue. This code captures a common outpatient surgical procedure performed to remove palpable or imaging-detected tumors located just beneath the skin. Nationally, accurate coding of such procedures affects procedural reporting, resource tracking, and aggregate surgical case mixes across payers.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of coding context and clinical indications, benchmarking and reimbursement considerations across major national payers, and common billing modifiers and documentation elements relevant to claims for sizable subcutaneous tumor excisions. The publication also highlights clinical context such as typical settings for the procedure (outpatient surgical suite, ambulatory surgery center, or hospital operating room) and operational implications for perioperative planning.
This summary provides clinicians, coding professionals, and policy analysts with concise information on what CPT code 27632 represents, why it matters for surgical case reporting, and what sections of the full publication address benchmarks, policy updates, and clinical documentation best practices. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 27632 describes the excision of a subcutaneous tumor with minimal removal of surrounding normal tissue when the lesion measures 3 cm or greater in diameter. The procedure is a surgical excision focused on removing a discrete tumor located just beneath the skin.
Service type: Surgical excision of subcutaneous tumor
Typical site of service: Outpatient surgical suite, ambulatory surgery center, or hospital operating room, depending on patient factors and facility requirements.
Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult presenting to an outpatient surgical clinic or ambulatory surgery center with a subcutaneous soft-tissue mass on the lower extremity (commonly around the ankle or calf) that is clinically suspicious for a benign or malignant tumor and has grown to 3.0 cm or larger in greatest diameter. The patient has had a focused history and physical exam, and preoperative imaging (ultrasound or MRI) to assess lesion size, depth, and relationship to neurovascular structures. Preoperative consent includes discussion of tumor excision, possible need for wider excision or referral to orthopedics/oncologic surgery if deeper invasion is found, and pathology of the specimen. On the day of surgery the patient receives regional or local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia per anesthesiology assessment. The provider elevates and prepares the surgical field, makes an incision over the lesion, dissects down to the subcutaneous plane, and performs an excision that removes the tumor with minimal surrounding normal tissue (margins not widely excised) because the lesion is superficial. Hemostasis is obtained, a specimen is submitted to pathology for gross and microscopic evaluation, and the wound is closed primarily. Typical sites of service are an ambulatory surgery center, hospital outpatient department, or an office-based procedure suite equipped for minor surgical excisions. Postoperative instructions include wound care, activity limitations, and a follow-up visit for suture removal and pathology review.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 |