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CPT 61154: Burr-Hole Evacuation of Intracranial Hematoma
CPT code 61154 denotes a neurosurgical burr‑hole procedure to drain or evacuate an intracranial hematoma located on or beneath the dura. The code captures emergent or urgent interventions to relieve intracranial pressure and remove blood collections resulting from trauma or iatrogenic injury. Nationally, accurate use of this code matters for clinical documentation, operative reporting, and hospital billing for high‑acuity neurosurgical care.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise review of clinical context for the procedure, typical sites of service, and the operational importance of correct code selection. The publication also summarizes common modifiers used with high‑acuity surgical CPT codes and highlights benchmarking and policy considerations relevant to payers and hospital billing teams.
This summary is intended to orient clinicians, coding professionals, and payers to the purpose and clinical setting of CPT code 61154, and to preview the types of benchmarks, reimbursement considerations, and documentation elements addressed in the full publication. Data not available in the input where applicable will be noted within detailed sections.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 61154 describes a neurosurgical procedure in which the provider drills one or more holes in the skull to drain or evacuate a hematoma located on the surface of, or beneath, the dura mater. This procedure is performed to remove a collection of blood that has accumulated as a result of trauma or a medical procedure and that requires urgent decompression.
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Service type: Neurosurgical hematoma evacuation via burr hole(s)
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Typical site of service: Hospital inpatient or emergency department transitioning to the operating room; may also occur in acute care surgical settings when emergent neurosurgical access is required.