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CPT 55866: Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy, Retropubic

CPT code 55866 identifies a radical prostatectomy performed via a laparoscopic retropubic approach, often using robotic assistance and employing nerve‑sparing techniques to preserve urinary and sexual function. This procedure is a definitive surgical treatment commonly used for prostate cancer and carries implications for surgical resource use, perioperative care, and post‑operative rehabilitation nationally.

Key payers addressed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The publication provides a concise national perspective on clinical context, coding practice, and payer coverage considerations relevant to this major urologic procedure.

Readers will find: a clinical overview of the procedure and typical sites of service; common billing and coding practice notes for CPT code 55866; a summary of payers included in the analysis; and pointers on where to find policy or coverage guidance. Data not available in the input is noted explicitly where applicable. The content is intended for clinicians, coding professionals, and policy analysts seeking a clear, practical summary of CPT code 55866 and its role in national surgical care delivery.

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Billing Code Overview

CPT code 55866 describes a radical prostatectomy performed laparoscopically via a retropubic approach, in which the provider removes the entire prostate gland through a minimally invasive technique behind the pubic bone. The procedure is radical in intent, commonly performed to treat prostate cancer, and may include nerve‑sparing techniques to help preserve urinary continence and sexual function. Robotic assistance may be used to facilitate the laparoscopic approach.

Service type: Minimally invasive surgical removal of the prostate (radical laparoscopic retropubic prostatectomy)
Typical site of service: Ambulatory surgical center or hospital operating room for minimally invasive urologic surgery

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CPT 55866: Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy, Retropubic

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Billing Code Overview

Service type: Minimally invasive surgical removal of the prostate (radical laparoscopic retropubic prostatectomy)
Typical site of service: Ambulatory surgical center or hospital operating room for minimally invasive urologic surgery

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 64-year-old man with biopsy-proven localized prostate adenocarcinoma elects definitive surgical management. Preoperative staging includes multiparametric pelvic MRI and bone scan showing disease confined to the prostate without distant metastasis. The patient undergoes a minimally invasive radical retropubic prostatectomy with possible nerve-sparing technique and robotic assistance for excision of the prostate, seminal vesicles, and appropriate pelvic lymph node sampling. Typical clinical workflow includes preoperative counseling, anesthesia evaluation, intraoperative urinary catheter placement, lymph node assessment, prostate removal via a laparoscopic retropubic approach (robot-assisted or pure laparoscopic), hemostasis, possible placement of surgical drains, and postoperative recovery with inpatient observation or same-day discharge depending on complexity and comorbidities. Pathology of the prostate and any lymph nodes is obtained for staging and adjuvant treatment planning.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`26`	Professional component	When reporting only the surgeon’s professional service separate from facility technical charges (rare for global surgical codes).
`50`	Bilateral procedure	When a procedure is performed bilaterally; generally not applicable to prostatectomy but included if documentation supports bilateral additional procedure elements.
`51`	Multiple procedures	When additional distinct procedures are performed during the same operative session in addition to the prostatectomy.
`52`	Reduced services	If the procedure is partially reduced or not completed as originally planned.
`53`	Discontinued procedure	When the procedure is started but terminated due to extenuating circumstances or patient safety.
`62`	Two surgeons	When two surgeons work together as primary surgeons performing distinct surgical portions requiring separate documentation.
`66`	Surgical team (multiple surgeons)	When more than two qualified surgeons form a surgical team for complex procedures.
`78`	Unplanned return to OR	For an unplanned return to the operating room for a related procedure during the postoperative global period.
`79`	Unrelated procedure or service during global period	For an unrelated procedure performed during the global period.
`80`	Assistant surgeon	When an assistant surgeon (not a resident) participates and the insurer requires reporting of the assistant.
`81`	Minimum assistant surgeon	When a minimal assistant surgeon is present and payer allows reporting of reduced assistant fee.
`82`	Assistant surgeon (when qualified resident not available)	Used when an assistant is required and a qualified resident is not available.
`62`	Two surgeons	When two surgeons of different specialties perform distinct portions of the operation (listed above).
`59`	Distinct procedural service	To indicate a separate and distinct procedure or service not normally reported together, when clinically supported.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`208100000X`	Urology	Primary specialty performing radical prostatectomy; includes genitourinary surgical expertise.
`363A00000X`	General Surgery	May perform pelvic oncologic procedures or provide perioperative surgical care in some settings.
`207R00000X`	Surgery, Urologic Oncology	Subspecialty urologists focused on oncologic prostate surgery and complex pelvic procedures.
`2083C0004X`	Robotic Surgeon	Denotes surgeons with documented robotic-assisted surgery practice; relevant when robot assistance is used.
`222N00000X`	Surgical Oncology	May be involved for multidisciplinary pelvic cancer surgery or complex lymphadenectomy.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`C61`	Malignant neoplasm of prostate	Primary oncologic indication for radical prostatectomy.
`N40.1`	Benign prostatic hyperplasia with lower urinary tract symptoms	May coexist with cancer and influence preoperative urinary symptom management; less common as sole indication for radical prostatectomy.
`D07.5`	Carcinoma in situ of prostate	May lead to definitive surgical management in selected cases.
`N99.0`	Postoperative genitourinary complications	Relevant for postoperative complication coding and surveillance after prostatectomy.
`Z90.49`	Acquired absence of other genitourinary organ(s)	May be used in longitudinal records after organ removal; applicable in follow-up documentation.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`55866`	Radical retropubic prostatectomy, with or without nerve-sparing; includes removal of prostate and seminal vesicles; may be performed with robotic assistance.	Primary procedure for removal of the prostate for malignancy.
`38510`	Biopsy or excision of lymph node(s); open, superficial	Used when a superficial pelvic lymph node biopsy is performed in conjunction with prostatectomy.
`38525`	Biopsy or excision of pelvic lymph node(s); single or multiple, unilateral or bilateral	Performed when pelvic lymphadenectomy or nodal sampling is done during prostatectomy for staging.
`52000`	Cystoscopy, diagnostic, with or without collection of urine sample	May be performed preoperatively or intraoperatively to evaluate the bladder or urethra if indicated.
`49900`	Laparoscopy, surgical; unlisted procedure, abdomen, peritoneum and omentum	Used only when a specific laparoscopic procedure code is not available for atypical laparoscopic maneuvers during the case.
`55866-62`	Radical retropubic prostatectomy with two surgeons	Example of reporting when two surgeons share operative responsibility for complex cases.

CPT 55867: Laparoscopic Partial Prostate Excision

CPT-55868-LAPAROSCOPIC-RETROPUBIC-RADICAL-PROSTATECTOMY-NERVE-SPARING

CPT 55868: Laparoscopic Retropubic Radical Prostatectomy, Nerve‑Sparing

CPT-55869-LAPAROSCOPIC-RADICAL-PROSTATECTOMY-BILATERAL-LYMPHADENECTOMY

CPT 55869: Laparoscopic Retropubic Radical Prostatectomy with Bilateral Pelvic Lymphadenectomy

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.

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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
`26`	Professional component	When reporting only the surgeon’s professional service separate from facility technical charges (rare for global surgical codes).
`50`	Bilateral procedure	When a procedure is performed bilaterally; generally not applicable to prostatectomy but included if documentation supports bilateral additional procedure elements.
`51`	Multiple procedures	When additional distinct procedures are performed during the same operative session in addition to the prostatectomy.
`52`	Reduced services	If the procedure is partially reduced or not completed as originally planned.
`53`	Discontinued procedure	When the procedure is started but terminated due to extenuating circumstances or patient safety.
`62`	Two surgeons	When two surgeons work together as primary surgeons performing distinct surgical portions requiring separate documentation.
`66`	Surgical team (multiple surgeons)	When more than two qualified surgeons form a surgical team for complex procedures.
`78`	Unplanned return to OR	For an unplanned return to the operating room for a related procedure during the postoperative global period.
`79`	Unrelated procedure or service during global period	For an unrelated procedure performed during the global period.
`80`	Assistant surgeon	When an assistant surgeon (not a resident) participates and the insurer requires reporting of the assistant.
`81`	Minimum assistant surgeon	When a minimal assistant surgeon is present and payer allows reporting of reduced assistant fee.
`82`	Assistant surgeon (when qualified resident not available)	Used when an assistant is required and a qualified resident is not available.
`62`	Two surgeons	When two surgeons of different specialties perform distinct portions of the operation (listed above).
`59`	Distinct procedural service	To indicate a separate and distinct procedure or service not normally reported together, when clinically supported.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`208100000X`	Urology	Primary specialty performing radical prostatectomy; includes genitourinary surgical expertise.
`363A00000X`	General Surgery	May perform pelvic oncologic procedures or provide perioperative surgical care in some settings.
`207R00000X`	Surgery, Urologic Oncology	Subspecialty urologists focused on oncologic prostate surgery and complex pelvic procedures.
`2083C0004X`	Robotic Surgeon	Denotes surgeons with documented robotic-assisted surgery practice; relevant when robot assistance is used.
`222N00000X`	Surgical Oncology	May be involved for multidisciplinary pelvic cancer surgery or complex lymphadenectomy.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`C61`	Malignant neoplasm of prostate	Primary oncologic indication for radical prostatectomy.
`N40.1`	Benign prostatic hyperplasia with lower urinary tract symptoms	May coexist with cancer and influence preoperative urinary symptom management; less common as sole indication for radical prostatectomy.
`D07.5`	Carcinoma in situ of prostate	May lead to definitive surgical management in selected cases.
`N99.0`	Postoperative genitourinary complications	Relevant for postoperative complication coding and surveillance after prostatectomy.
`Z90.49`	Acquired absence of other genitourinary organ(s)	May be used in longitudinal records after organ removal; applicable in follow-up documentation.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`55866`	Radical retropubic prostatectomy, with or without nerve-sparing; includes removal of prostate and seminal vesicles; may be performed with robotic assistance.	Primary procedure for removal of the prostate for malignancy.
`38510`	Biopsy or excision of lymph node(s); open, superficial	Used when a superficial pelvic lymph node biopsy is performed in conjunction with prostatectomy.
`38525`	Biopsy or excision of pelvic lymph node(s); single or multiple, unilateral or bilateral	Performed when pelvic lymphadenectomy or nodal sampling is done during prostatectomy for staging.
`52000`	Cystoscopy, diagnostic, with or without collection of urine sample	May be performed preoperatively or intraoperatively to evaluate the bladder or urethra if indicated.
`49900`	Laparoscopy, surgical; unlisted procedure, abdomen, peritoneum and omentum	Used only when a specific laparoscopic procedure code is not available for atypical laparoscopic maneuvers during the case.
`55866-62`	Radical retropubic prostatectomy with two surgeons	Example of reporting when two surgeons share operative responsibility for complex cases.

CPT 55867: Laparoscopic Partial Prostate Excision

CPT-55868-LAPAROSCOPIC-RETROPUBIC-RADICAL-PROSTATECTOMY-NERVE-SPARING

CPT 55868: Laparoscopic Retropubic Radical Prostatectomy, Nerve‑Sparing

CPT-55869-LAPAROSCOPIC-RADICAL-PROSTATECTOMY-BILATERAL-LYMPHADENECTOMY

CPT 55869: Laparoscopic Retropubic Radical Prostatectomy with Bilateral Pelvic Lymphadenectomy

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 55866: Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy, Retropubic

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Billing Code Overview

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CPT 55866: Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy, Retropubic

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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 55866: Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy, Retropubic

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Billing Code Overview

CPT 55866: Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy, Retropubic

Sign up for cpt 55866 policy alerts

Billing Code Overview

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

What procedure does CPT 55866 represent and where is it usually performed?

Which modifiers are commonly associated with CPT 55866 and when are they used?

What related CPT codes should be considered when coding a prostatectomy case with additional procedures?

Which provider specialties or taxonomy codes are relevant for billing CPT 55866?

What diagnoses and payers are associated with CPT 55866 in this summary?

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

What procedure does CPT 55866 represent and where is it usually performed?

Which modifiers are commonly associated with CPT 55866 and when are they used?

What related CPT codes should be considered when coding a prostatectomy case with additional procedures?

Which provider specialties or taxonomy codes are relevant for billing CPT 55866?

What diagnoses and payers are associated with CPT 55866 in this summary?

References