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CPT 42410: Excision of Tumor, Lateral Parotid Lobe, No Nerve Dissection

CPT code 42410 denotes excision of a tumor from the lateral lobe of the parotid gland without dissection of the facial nerve. This code captures a focused partial parotidectomy performed when the lesion is lateral and nerve exploration is not indicated. Nationally, accurate use of this code supports correct surgical categorization, quality measurement, and payment alignment for head and neck surgical services.

Key payers referenced include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical context for the procedure, typical sites of service, and the most relevant billing considerations. The publication summarizes benchmark patterns, common modifier usage, and areas of policy attention that affect coding and reimbursement for parotid surgeries.

The report provides benchmarks for utilization and allowed amounts where available, notes common modifiers applied to head and neck surgical services, and outlines clinical scenarios in which 42410 is appropriate versus procedures requiring formal nerve dissection. Data not available in the input is explicitly noted where applicable.

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Billing Code Overview

CPT code 42410 describes the surgical removal of a tumor from the lateral lobe of the parotid gland without dissection of the facial nerve. This procedure is a partial parotidectomy focused on excising a lateral-lobe lesion while preserving the main trunk and branches of the facial nerve when nerve exploration or formal dissection is not required.

Service type: Surgical excision of a parotid tumor (partial parotidectomy/lateral lobectomy)
Typical site of service: Hospital inpatient or outpatient surgical facility, and ambulatory surgery center depending on patient and procedure factors.

Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, specific ICD-10 diagnoses, and related codes.

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CPT 42410: Excision of Tumor, Lateral Parotid Lobe, No Nerve Dissection

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Billing Code Overview

Service type: Surgical excision of a parotid tumor (partial parotidectomy/lateral lobectomy)
Typical site of service: Hospital inpatient or outpatient surgical facility, and ambulatory surgery center depending on patient and procedure factors.

Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, specific ICD-10 diagnoses, and related codes.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A typical patient is a 45–65-year-old adult presenting with a painless, slowly enlarging mass in the preauricular region over the lateral aspect of the parotid gland. Clinical evaluation includes history, focused head and neck exam, ultrasound or MRI to define tumor size and relationship to the facial nerve, and fine-needle aspiration (FNA) or core biopsy to assess for benign versus malignant pathology. The surgical plan is a partial superficial parotidectomy — excision of a tumor confined to the lateral (superficial) lobe of the parotid gland without formal dissection or sacrifice of the facial nerve, corresponding to 42410.

Preoperative workflow includes informed consent, preoperative imaging review, anesthesia evaluation (most commonly general anesthesia), and marking of incision lines (typically a modified Blair or preauricular incision). Intraoperative steps include skin incision, subcutaneous dissection to expose the superficial lobe, identification and preservation of the main trunk and branches of the facial nerve without formal nerve dissection, excision of the tumor with margin control, hemostasis, and layered closure with or without drain placement. Postoperative care involves pain control, wound care, facial nerve function assessment, and pathology review to confirm diagnosis and margins. Follow-up scheduling is arranged for suture removal and surveillance imaging or clinic visits based on final pathology.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when work or complexity substantially exceeds usual for `42410`, documented in operative note.
`23`	Unusual anesthesia	Use when general anesthesia is contraindicated and procedure performed under local/monitored anesthesia for medically necessary reasons.
`26`	Professional component	Use when billing separately for the physician’s professional interpretation or service (rare for operative CPT).
`50`	Bilateral procedure	Use if bilateral parotid tumors are removed in the same operative session (apply per payer rules).
`51`	Multiple procedures	Use when `42410` is performed with additional distinct surgical procedures during the same session.
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the surgeon intentionally performs a lesser service than described by `42410` and documents the reason.
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use when the procedure is started but terminated due to extenuating circumstances after documentation.
`62`	Two surgeons	Use when two surgeons with documented distinct skills participated with separate operative work.
`66`	Surgical team	Use when an organized surgical team performs the procedure with documented team members.
`80`	Assistant surgeon	Use when an assistant surgeon provides assistance at the operative site and documentation supports assistant services.
`81`	Minimum assistant surgeon	Use when minimal assistance is provided and payer allows the modifier.
`82`	Assistant surgeon (when qualified resident not available)	Use when a qualified resident is not available and a non-physician assistant provides surgical assistance per payer rules.
`AS`	Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services	Use when a qualified nonphysician provider performs eligible portions of the service per payer policy.
`QX`	Modifier for assistant-at-surgery (physician assistant)	Use to indicate a physician assistant served as an assistant-at-surgery when required by payer reporting.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
2080P0206X	Otolaryngology (ENT)	Most common specialty performing parotid tumor excision.
207L00000X	Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery	Performs parotid region and facial soft tissue surgery in some systems.
2084P0800X	Plastic Surgery	Provides complex parotid and facial reconstruction, especially for contour or cosmetic concerns.
2080S0121X	Head and Neck Surgical Oncology	Manages malignant parotid tumors and oncologic resections.
363LF0000X	General Surgery	May perform parotid surgery in some practice settings, less commonly than ENT or plastics.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`D11.0`	Benign neoplasm of parotid gland	Most common indication for superficial parotid tumor excision.
`C07`	Malignant neoplasm of parotid gland	Malignant tumors of the parotid may require resection of the lateral lobe; extent depends on staging.
`K11.3`	Sialadenitis (chronic)	Chronic inflammatory disease can cause masses or symptomatic enlargement prompting partial parotidectomy.
`R22.2`	Localized swelling, mass and lump, neck	Symptom code used when a neck or parotid mass is the presenting problem leading to `42410`.
`D36.1`	Neoplasm of uncertain behavior of major salivary glands	Used for lesions with uncertain malignant potential requiring excision and pathology.
`T81.4XXA`	Infection following a procedure, initial encounter	Postoperative diagnosis code if patient develops a post-surgical infection (used as applicable).
`G51.0`	Bell's palsy	Not an indication for parotidectomy but relevant for differential diagnosis and facial nerve assessment prior to surgery.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`42400`	Excision of superficial portion of parotid gland; partial superficial parotidectomy including superficial lobe tumor excision	Alternative or closely related code for small superficial parotid resections; often compared to `42410` in selection based on extent.
`42415`	Excision of deep lobe of parotid gland	Performed when tumor involves the deep lobe or extends beyond the lateral lobe; may follow imaging or intraoperative findings.
`69990`	Microsurgical techniques (used for facial nerve repair)	Used if intraoperative facial nerve repair or grafting is required during or after tumor excision.
`15734`	Muscle, myocutaneous, or fasciocutaneous flap with microvascular anastomosis	Applied when reconstruction after tumor excision requires free flap coverage for larger defects.
`69980`	Microsurgical techniques, requiring an operating microscope	May be used for delicate facial nerve work or nerve grafting when required.
`20220`	Excision of benign lesion of parotid gland, external approach	Related historical codes; used in some contexts for benign parotid lesions depending on approach and extent.

CPT 42400: Percutaneous Salivary Gland Biopsy

CPT-42405-SALIVARY-GLAND-BIOPSY-EXTERNAL-INCISION

CPT 42405: Open Salivary Gland Biopsy with Pathology

CPT-42408-RANULA-EXCISION-FLOOR-OF-MOUTH

CPT 42408: Excision of Ranula, Floor of Mouth

CPT-42409-MARSUPIALIZATION-SUBLINGUAL-SALIVARY-CYST

CPT 42409: Marsupialization of Sublingual Salivary Cyst

CPT-42415-PAROTID-LATERAL-LOBE-EXCISION-FACIAL-NERVE-PRESERVATION

CPT 42415: Excision of Lateral Parotid Lobe with Facial Nerve Preservation

CPT-42420-PAROTIDECTOMY-FACIAL-NERVE-PRESERVATION

CPT 42420: Parotidectomy with Facial Nerve Dissection and Preservation

CPT-42425-PAROTID-GLAND-REMOVAL-EN-BLOC-WITHOUT-FACIAL-NERVE-PRESERVATION

CPT 42425: Parotid Gland Removal with Tumor, No Facial Nerve Preservation

CPT-42426-PAROTIDECTOMY-TOTAL-WITH-RADICAL-NECK-DISSECTION-UNILATERAL

CPT 42426: Total Parotidectomy with Unilateral Radical Neck Dissection

CPT-42440-SUBMANDIBULAR-GLAND-EXCISION

CPT 42440: Submandibular Gland Excision

CPT-42450-SUBLINGUAL-GLAND-EXCISION

CPT 42450: Sublingual Gland Excision

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.

Published by

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

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.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when work or complexity substantially exceeds usual for `42410`, documented in operative note.
`23`	Unusual anesthesia	Use when general anesthesia is contraindicated and procedure performed under local/monitored anesthesia for medically necessary reasons.
`26`	Professional component	Use when billing separately for the physician’s professional interpretation or service (rare for operative CPT).
`50`	Bilateral procedure	Use if bilateral parotid tumors are removed in the same operative session (apply per payer rules).
`51`	Multiple procedures	Use when `42410` is performed with additional distinct surgical procedures during the same session.
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the surgeon intentionally performs a lesser service than described by `42410` and documents the reason.
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use when the procedure is started but terminated due to extenuating circumstances after documentation.
`62`	Two surgeons	Use when two surgeons with documented distinct skills participated with separate operative work.
`66`	Surgical team	Use when an organized surgical team performs the procedure with documented team members.
`80`	Assistant surgeon	Use when an assistant surgeon provides assistance at the operative site and documentation supports assistant services.
`81`	Minimum assistant surgeon	Use when minimal assistance is provided and payer allows the modifier.
`82`	Assistant surgeon (when qualified resident not available)	Use when a qualified resident is not available and a non-physician assistant provides surgical assistance per payer rules.
`AS`	Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services	Use when a qualified nonphysician provider performs eligible portions of the service per payer policy.
`QX`	Modifier for assistant-at-surgery (physician assistant)	Use to indicate a physician assistant served as an assistant-at-surgery when required by payer reporting.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
2080P0206X	Otolaryngology (ENT)	Most common specialty performing parotid tumor excision.
207L00000X	Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery	Performs parotid region and facial soft tissue surgery in some systems.
2084P0800X	Plastic Surgery	Provides complex parotid and facial reconstruction, especially for contour or cosmetic concerns.
2080S0121X	Head and Neck Surgical Oncology	Manages malignant parotid tumors and oncologic resections.
363LF0000X	General Surgery	May perform parotid surgery in some practice settings, less commonly than ENT or plastics.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`D11.0`	Benign neoplasm of parotid gland	Most common indication for superficial parotid tumor excision.
`C07`	Malignant neoplasm of parotid gland	Malignant tumors of the parotid may require resection of the lateral lobe; extent depends on staging.
`K11.3`	Sialadenitis (chronic)	Chronic inflammatory disease can cause masses or symptomatic enlargement prompting partial parotidectomy.
`R22.2`	Localized swelling, mass and lump, neck	Symptom code used when a neck or parotid mass is the presenting problem leading to `42410`.
`D36.1`	Neoplasm of uncertain behavior of major salivary glands	Used for lesions with uncertain malignant potential requiring excision and pathology.
`T81.4XXA`	Infection following a procedure, initial encounter	Postoperative diagnosis code if patient develops a post-surgical infection (used as applicable).
`G51.0`	Bell's palsy	Not an indication for parotidectomy but relevant for differential diagnosis and facial nerve assessment prior to surgery.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`42400`	Excision of superficial portion of parotid gland; partial superficial parotidectomy including superficial lobe tumor excision	Alternative or closely related code for small superficial parotid resections; often compared to `42410` in selection based on extent.
`42415`	Excision of deep lobe of parotid gland	Performed when tumor involves the deep lobe or extends beyond the lateral lobe; may follow imaging or intraoperative findings.
`69990`	Microsurgical techniques (used for facial nerve repair)	Used if intraoperative facial nerve repair or grafting is required during or after tumor excision.
`15734`	Muscle, myocutaneous, or fasciocutaneous flap with microvascular anastomosis	Applied when reconstruction after tumor excision requires free flap coverage for larger defects.
`69980`	Microsurgical techniques, requiring an operating microscope	May be used for delicate facial nerve work or nerve grafting when required.
`20220`	Excision of benign lesion of parotid gland, external approach	Related historical codes; used in some contexts for benign parotid lesions depending on approach and extent.

CPT 42400: Percutaneous Salivary Gland Biopsy

CPT-42405-SALIVARY-GLAND-BIOPSY-EXTERNAL-INCISION

CPT 42405: Open Salivary Gland Biopsy with Pathology

CPT-42408-RANULA-EXCISION-FLOOR-OF-MOUTH

CPT 42408: Excision of Ranula, Floor of Mouth

CPT-42409-MARSUPIALIZATION-SUBLINGUAL-SALIVARY-CYST

CPT 42409: Marsupialization of Sublingual Salivary Cyst

CPT-42415-PAROTID-LATERAL-LOBE-EXCISION-FACIAL-NERVE-PRESERVATION

CPT 42415: Excision of Lateral Parotid Lobe with Facial Nerve Preservation

CPT-42420-PAROTIDECTOMY-FACIAL-NERVE-PRESERVATION

CPT 42420: Parotidectomy with Facial Nerve Dissection and Preservation

CPT-42425-PAROTID-GLAND-REMOVAL-EN-BLOC-WITHOUT-FACIAL-NERVE-PRESERVATION

CPT 42425: Parotid Gland Removal with Tumor, No Facial Nerve Preservation

CPT-42426-PAROTIDECTOMY-TOTAL-WITH-RADICAL-NECK-DISSECTION-UNILATERAL

CPT 42426: Total Parotidectomy with Unilateral Radical Neck Dissection

CPT-42440-SUBMANDIBULAR-GLAND-EXCISION

CPT 42440: Submandibular Gland Excision

CPT-42450-SUBLINGUAL-GLAND-EXCISION

CPT 42450: Sublingual Gland Excision

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.

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 42410: Excision of Tumor, Lateral Parotid Lobe, No Nerve Dissection

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Billing Code Overview

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CPT 42410: Excision of Tumor, Lateral Parotid Lobe, No Nerve Dissection

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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 42410: Excision of Tumor, Lateral Parotid Lobe, No Nerve Dissection

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Billing Code Overview

CPT 42410: Excision of Tumor, Lateral Parotid Lobe, No Nerve Dissection

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Billing Code Overview

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

What clinical scenario does CPT 42410 represent?

Which modifiers are commonly used with CPT 42410 and when should they be applied?

Which related CPT codes should I consider when coding parotid surgery?

What are the usual preoperative and postoperative steps surrounding a 42410 procedure?

Which provider specialties commonly perform CPT 42410?

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

What clinical scenario does CPT 42410 represent?

Which modifiers are commonly used with CPT 42410 and when should they be applied?

Which related CPT codes should I consider when coding parotid surgery?

What are the usual preoperative and postoperative steps surrounding a 42410 procedure?

Which provider specialties commonly perform CPT 42410?

References