Summary & Overview
CPT 63271: Thoracic Intradural Lesion Resection via Laminectomy
CPT code 63271 covers surgical removal or evacuation of an intradural lesion in the thoracic spine using a laminectomy approach. This procedure is clinically significant because it addresses intradural spinal pathologies that can cause myelopathy, radiculopathy, pain, and progressive neurologic deficits. Proper coding affects clinical documentation, hospital surgical case mix, and national utilization tracking for complex spine procedures.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a national perspective on how CPT code 63271 is classified and billed, what clinical context typically justifies its use, and what operational settings commonly deliver the service (hospital operating room or inpatient surgical center). The publication also outlines common modifiers used in practice and highlights where input data is not available.
The report is intended for coding professionals, revenue cycle managers, and clinical leaders seeking clear, concise guidance on the clinical description and administrative framing of CPT code 63271. It provides benchmarks and policy-relevant summaries, plus clinical context for documentation and case reporting. Data not available in the input will be noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 63271 describes removal or evacuation of an intradural thoracic spinal lesion performed through a posterior laminectomy approach. The procedure involves surgical access to the thoracic spinal canal by removing the posterior bony elements (lamina) to expose and excise an intradural growth.
Service Type: Surgical — thoracic intradural tumor resection via laminectomy
Typical Site of Service: Hospital operating room or inpatient surgical center
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 52-year-old patient presents with progressive mid-thoracic back pain, gait instability, and sensory changes in the lower extremities. MRI of the thoracic spine demonstrates an intradural extramedullary mass at the T6–T7 level consistent with a meningioma or nerve sheath tumor causing spinal cord compression. The neurosurgery team schedules an elective thoracic laminectomy with intradural tumor excision under general anesthesia. Preoperative workflow includes neurosurgical consultation, informed consent, pre-op labs, and anesthesia evaluation. Intraoperatively, the patient is positioned prone, a midline thoracic laminectomy is performed to expose the dura, a durotomy is made, the intradural lesion is microsurgically dissected and removed, hemostasis is secured, the dura closed, and the wound closed in layers. Postoperative workflow includes recovery in PACU, neurologic monitoring, postoperative imaging as indicated, pain control, physical therapy evaluation, and follow-up in neurosurgery clinic for wound and neurologic assessment. Typical site of service is an inpatient operating room in an acute care hospital. Service type is an operative neurosurgical procedure (open intradural tumor resection via laminectomy). Typical patient scenario: adult with symptomatic thoracic intradural tumor causing myelopathic signs who requires surgical decompression and tumor removal.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | Default / No modifier | Use when no other modifier applies. |