Summary & Overview
CPT 57556: Vaginal Excision of Cervical Stump with Enterocele Repair
CPT code 57556 represents vaginal excision of a cervical stump remaining after a prior subtotal hysterectomy combined with repair of an enterocele. The code captures a specialized gynecologic surgical service that addresses both residual cervical tissue and pelvic organ prolapse/endopelvic support defects through a transvaginal approach. Nationally, this procedure is relevant for surgical, inpatient, and ambulatory surgical care pathways and has implications for coding accuracy, resource utilization, and postoperative quality tracking.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The document presents clinical context for the procedure, common billing considerations, and payer patterns where available. Readers will find benchmarks on utilization and allowed services, a summary of applicable coding considerations, and a concise clinical description to aid coding and billing workflows. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 57556 describes a surgical procedure in which the physician excises the cervical stump remaining after a prior subtotal hysterectomy via a vaginal approach and performs repair of an enterocele. This is a combined gynecologic procedure addressing residual cervical tissue and pelvic support defects.
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Service type: Surgical gynecologic procedure (vaginal cervical stump excision with enterocele repair)
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Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or ambulatory surgery center, performed via a vaginal approach
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a woman with a prior subtotal (supracervical) hysterectomy who presents with vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, recurrent cervicitis, or symptomatic prolapse due to an enterocele and an exposed or symptomatic cervical stump. The gynecologic surgeon evaluates with history, pelvic exam, and imaging as indicated (transvaginal ultrasound or pelvic MRI) to confirm the retained cervical stump and enterocele. After counseling and consent, the patient is scheduled for a vaginal cervicectomy with enterocele repair under general or regional anesthesia. Intraoperative workflow includes vaginal exposure, mobilization and excision of the cervical stump, repair of the enterocele defect (usually via defect closure and perineorrhaphy or site-specific fascial repair), hemostasis, and vaginal mucosal closure. Postoperative care includes recovery from anesthesia, pain control, monitoring for bleeding or infection, and follow-up pelvic exam to assess wound healing and resolution of prolapse symptoms. Typical site of service is an ambulatory surgical center or hospital operating room with same-day discharge for uncomplicated cases. Common modifiers for billing include 00, 11, 22, 52, 53, 78, 80, 81, AS, and TC depending on payer and circumstance.