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CPT 28002: Incision and Drainage of Infected Bursa Involving Tendon Covering

CPT code 28002 covers incision and drainage of a bursa when infected material may involve the tendon covering. The code identifies a focused minor surgical procedure used to evacuate purulent fluid, relieve pain, and reduce the risk of deeper soft-tissue infection. Nationally, accurate coding of these procedures affects facility and professional billing, influences clinical documentation standards, and supports appropriate utilization tracking for common soft-tissue infections.

Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context for the procedure, common sites of service, and what to expect in billing practice. The publication outlines reimbursement benchmarks where available, typical coding considerations, and recent policy updates that impact coverage and medical necessity determinations. Clinical context covers indications for drainage of infected bursae and procedural scope relevant to coding decisions. The content is intended for coding professionals, clinicians who perform minor surgical drainage procedures, and policy analysts seeking national-level understanding of billing and coverage considerations for this CPT-coded service.

Data not available in the input: specific payer fee schedules, associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnosis mappings, and related codes.

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Billing Code Overview

CPT code 28002 describes an incision of a bursa to drain infected material that may involve the tendon covering. The procedure is a surgical incision and drainage of a bursal infection, performed to evacuate purulent or inflammatory fluid from a bursa and to relieve pain and prevent spread of infection.

Service type: Surgical incision and drainage (minor operative procedure)
Typical site of service: Procedure is commonly performed in ambulatory surgical centers, hospital outpatient departments, emergency departments, or procedure rooms depending on clinical severity and setting.

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CPT 28002: Incision and Drainage of Infected Bursa Involving Tendon Covering

Data not available in the input: specific payer fee schedules, associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnosis mappings, and related codes.

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Billing Code Overview

Service type: Surgical incision and drainage (minor operative procedure)
Typical site of service: Procedure is commonly performed in ambulatory surgical centers, hospital outpatient departments, emergency departments, or procedure rooms depending on clinical severity and setting.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 48-year-old right-handed patient presents to the outpatient orthopedic clinic with a 5-day history of increasing pain, swelling, warmth, and limited range of motion over the lateral aspect of the elbow. The patient reports fever and difficulty bending the elbow. Physical exam demonstrates fluctuance and severe tenderness localized to the olecranon bursa with overlying erythema. Point-of-care ultrasound confirms an anechoic to complex fluid collection within the bursal sac consistent with infected bursitis. The treating orthopedic surgeon documents failure of conservative therapy (oral antibiotics and immobilization) and recommends surgical drainage.

The clinical workflow includes pre-procedure evaluation (consent, antibiotic administration as indicated, sterile preparation), local or regional anesthesia in an ambulatory surgery center or procedure room, incision and drainage of the bursa with evacuation of purulent material and copious irrigation, specimen collection for Gram stain and culture, possible exploration of the tendon sheath if involved, hemostasis, wound packing or primary/secondary closure per surgeon judgment, and post-procedure instructions with follow-up for culture results and wound care. Typical sites of service are an ambulatory surgery center, hospital outpatient department, or emergency department procedure room depending on acuity.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`25`	Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician on the same day of the procedure	Use when a separately identifiable E/M visit is performed on the same day as the I&D and documented appropriately.
`51`	Multiple procedures	Use if the I&D is reported with other distinct surgical procedures performed during the same session.
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the procedure is partially reduced or not completed as documented.
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use if the procedure was started but terminated due to extenuating circumstances.
`59`	Distinct procedural service	Use to indicate a distinct procedure not normally reported together when required by payer edits.
`76`	Repeat procedure by same physician	Use when the same procedure is repeated later by the same physician (if applicable).
`77`	Repeat procedure by another physician	Use when repeated by a different physician.
`78`	Unplanned return to the operating/procedure room for a related procedure during the postoperative period	Use for unplanned reoperation related to the original I&D during global period.
`79`	Unrelated procedure or service during the postoperative period	Use when an unrelated procedure is performed during the global period.
`90`	Reference (Outside) laboratory	Use when laboratory services (e.g., cultures) are sent to an outside lab and billed separately.
`LT`	Left side	Use to identify the left anatomical site when a laterality modifier is required.
`RT`	Right side	Use to identify the right anatomical site when a laterality modifier is required.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207X00000X	Orthopaedic Surgery	Orthopedic surgeons commonly perform surgical drainage of bursae.
208000000X	General Surgery	General surgeons may perform I&D for infected bursae in certain settings.
2080S00000X	Emergency Medicine	Emergency physicians perform bedside I&D of superficial bursae in the ED.
363L00000X	Infectious Disease	Provides consultation for complex or refractory infections; not usually the operating provider.
207L00000X	Hand Surgery (Orthopedic)	Hand surgeons manage septic bursitis and tendon sheath involvement in the upper extremity.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`M70.21`	Olecranon bursitis, right elbow	Directly indicates bursitis of the olecranon bursa on the right side; commonly associated with I&D when infected.
`M70.22`	Olecranon bursitis, left elbow	Directly indicates bursitis of the olecranon bursa on the left side.
`M71.00`	Bursitis, unspecified shoulder	Bursal inflammation of the shoulder; I&D may be required if infected.
`M71.01`	Bursitis, right shoulder	Right shoulder bursitis potentially requiring drainage if septic.
`M72.6`	Prepatellar bursitis	Knee bursal infection of the prepatellar bursa; common site for surgical drainage.
`M76.81`	Trochanteric bursitis	Lateral hip bursitis that may require aspiration or surgical management when infected.
`T81.4XXA`	Infection following a procedure, initial encounter	Used when postoperative infection involves a bursa requiring secondary drainage.
`L03.115`	Cellulitis of right elbow	Surrounding soft-tissue infection often coexists with septic bursitis and may necessitate I&D.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`20005`	Incision and drainage, soft tissue abscess; intermediate drainage of deep abscess, subfascial including vessel/nerve decompression	Performed when infection extends deeper than the bursal sac and requires more extensive drainage.
`11042`	Debridement; subcutaneous tissue (includes epidermis and dermis, if performed)	May be reported if debridement of necrotic soft tissue is performed in conjunction with I&D.
`20550`	Injection of tendon sheath, ligament, or trigger point; therapeutic (e.g., corticosteroid)	May be performed in non-infectious inflammatory bursitis but is contraindicated in active infection; listed for clinical workflow differentiation.
`10060`	Incision and drainage of abscess; simple or single	May be used for more superficial abscesses; selected when the procedure is limited and not specific to a bursa.
`10120`	Incision and drainage of pilonidal cyst; simple	Example of related drainage procedures in other anatomical sites; relates to coding decisions when selecting the most specific code.

CPT 28001: Drainage of Infected Bursa of Foot

CPT-28003-FOOT-BURSAL-DRAINAGE-MULTIPLE-SPACES

CPT 28003: Drainage of Multiple Infected Bursal Spaces Under Foot Fascia

CPT-28005-FOOT-BONE-CORTEX-INCISION-FOR-INFECTION

CPT 28005: Incision of Foot Bone Cortex for Infection

CPT-28008-PLANTAR-FASCIA-RELEASE-TOE-CONTRACTURE-RELEASE

CPT 28008: Plantar Fascia Release and Toe Contracture Release

CPT-28010-PERCUTANEOUS-TENOTOMY-TOE-HAMMER-TOE-CORRECTION

CPT 28010: Percutaneous Tenotomy for Toe Deformity

CPT-28011-PERCUTANEOUS-TENOTOMY-MULTIPLE-TOES-HAMMER-TOE

CPT 28011: Percutaneous Tenotomy of Multiple Tendons for Hammer Toe

CPT-28020-FOOT-ANKLE-JOINT-INCISION-DRAINAGE

CPT 28020: Incision and Drainage of Foot or Ankle Joint

CPT-28022-TOE-FOREFOOT-JOINT-INCISION-DRAINAGE

CPT 28022: Incision and Drainage of Toe/Forefoot Joint

CPT-28024-TOE-JOINT-INCISION-DRAINAGE

CPT 28024: Incision and Drainage of Toe Joint

CPT-28035-TARSAL-TUNNEL-RELEASE-POSTERIOR-TIBIAL-NERVE-DECOMPRESSION

CPT 28035: Tarsal Tunnel Release, Posterior Tibial Nerve Decompression

Frequently Asked Questions

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
`25`	Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician on the same day of the procedure	Use when a separately identifiable E/M visit is performed on the same day as the I&D and documented appropriately.
`51`	Multiple procedures	Use if the I&D is reported with other distinct surgical procedures performed during the same session.
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the procedure is partially reduced or not completed as documented.
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use if the procedure was started but terminated due to extenuating circumstances.
`59`	Distinct procedural service	Use to indicate a distinct procedure not normally reported together when required by payer edits.
`76`	Repeat procedure by same physician	Use when the same procedure is repeated later by the same physician (if applicable).
`77`	Repeat procedure by another physician	Use when repeated by a different physician.
`78`	Unplanned return to the operating/procedure room for a related procedure during the postoperative period	Use for unplanned reoperation related to the original I&D during global period.
`79`	Unrelated procedure or service during the postoperative period	Use when an unrelated procedure is performed during the global period.
`90`	Reference (Outside) laboratory	Use when laboratory services (e.g., cultures) are sent to an outside lab and billed separately.
`LT`	Left side	Use to identify the left anatomical site when a laterality modifier is required.
`RT`	Right side	Use to identify the right anatomical site when a laterality modifier is required.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207X00000X	Orthopaedic Surgery	Orthopedic surgeons commonly perform surgical drainage of bursae.
208000000X	General Surgery	General surgeons may perform I&D for infected bursae in certain settings.
2080S00000X	Emergency Medicine	Emergency physicians perform bedside I&D of superficial bursae in the ED.
363L00000X	Infectious Disease	Provides consultation for complex or refractory infections; not usually the operating provider.
207L00000X	Hand Surgery (Orthopedic)	Hand surgeons manage septic bursitis and tendon sheath involvement in the upper extremity.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`M70.21`	Olecranon bursitis, right elbow	Directly indicates bursitis of the olecranon bursa on the right side; commonly associated with I&D when infected.
`M70.22`	Olecranon bursitis, left elbow	Directly indicates bursitis of the olecranon bursa on the left side.
`M71.00`	Bursitis, unspecified shoulder	Bursal inflammation of the shoulder; I&D may be required if infected.
`M71.01`	Bursitis, right shoulder	Right shoulder bursitis potentially requiring drainage if septic.
`M72.6`	Prepatellar bursitis	Knee bursal infection of the prepatellar bursa; common site for surgical drainage.
`M76.81`	Trochanteric bursitis	Lateral hip bursitis that may require aspiration or surgical management when infected.
`T81.4XXA`	Infection following a procedure, initial encounter	Used when postoperative infection involves a bursa requiring secondary drainage.
`L03.115`	Cellulitis of right elbow	Surrounding soft-tissue infection often coexists with septic bursitis and may necessitate I&D.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`20005`	Incision and drainage, soft tissue abscess; intermediate drainage of deep abscess, subfascial including vessel/nerve decompression	Performed when infection extends deeper than the bursal sac and requires more extensive drainage.
`11042`	Debridement; subcutaneous tissue (includes epidermis and dermis, if performed)	May be reported if debridement of necrotic soft tissue is performed in conjunction with I&D.
`20550`	Injection of tendon sheath, ligament, or trigger point; therapeutic (e.g., corticosteroid)	May be performed in non-infectious inflammatory bursitis but is contraindicated in active infection; listed for clinical workflow differentiation.
`10060`	Incision and drainage of abscess; simple or single	May be used for more superficial abscesses; selected when the procedure is limited and not specific to a bursa.
`10120`	Incision and drainage of pilonidal cyst; simple	Example of related drainage procedures in other anatomical sites; relates to coding decisions when selecting the most specific code.

CPT 28001: Drainage of Infected Bursa of Foot

CPT-28003-FOOT-BURSAL-DRAINAGE-MULTIPLE-SPACES

CPT 28003: Drainage of Multiple Infected Bursal Spaces Under Foot Fascia

CPT-28005-FOOT-BONE-CORTEX-INCISION-FOR-INFECTION

CPT 28005: Incision of Foot Bone Cortex for Infection

CPT-28008-PLANTAR-FASCIA-RELEASE-TOE-CONTRACTURE-RELEASE

CPT 28008: Plantar Fascia Release and Toe Contracture Release

CPT-28010-PERCUTANEOUS-TENOTOMY-TOE-HAMMER-TOE-CORRECTION

CPT 28010: Percutaneous Tenotomy for Toe Deformity

CPT-28011-PERCUTANEOUS-TENOTOMY-MULTIPLE-TOES-HAMMER-TOE

CPT 28011: Percutaneous Tenotomy of Multiple Tendons for Hammer Toe

CPT-28020-FOOT-ANKLE-JOINT-INCISION-DRAINAGE

CPT 28020: Incision and Drainage of Foot or Ankle Joint

CPT-28022-TOE-FOREFOOT-JOINT-INCISION-DRAINAGE

CPT 28022: Incision and Drainage of Toe/Forefoot Joint

CPT-28024-TOE-JOINT-INCISION-DRAINAGE

CPT 28024: Incision and Drainage of Toe Joint

CPT-28035-TARSAL-TUNNEL-RELEASE-POSTERIOR-TIBIAL-NERVE-DECOMPRESSION

CPT 28035: Tarsal Tunnel Release, Posterior Tibial Nerve Decompression

Frequently Asked Questions

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 28002: Incision and Drainage of Infected Bursa Involving Tendon Covering

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Billing Code Overview

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CPT 28002: Incision and Drainage of Infected Bursa Involving Tendon Covering

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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

CPT 28002: Incision and Drainage of Infected Bursa Involving Tendon Covering

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Billing Code Overview

CPT 28002: Incision and Drainage of Infected Bursa Involving Tendon Covering

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Billing Code Overview

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

What does CPT 28002 represent and where is it typically performed?

Which modifiers are commonly used with CPT 28002 and when should they be applied?

What related CPT codes should I consider when coding an I&D of a bursa?

Which diagnosis codes are relevant for billing CPT 28002?

Which provider specialties and taxonomy codes are associated with CPT 28002?

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

What does CPT 28002 represent and where is it typically performed?

Which modifiers are commonly used with CPT 28002 and when should they be applied?

What related CPT codes should I consider when coding an I&D of a bursa?

Which diagnosis codes are relevant for billing CPT 28002?

Which provider specialties and taxonomy codes are associated with CPT 28002?

References