Summary & Overview
HCPCS C2618: Cryoablation Probe/Needle
HCPCS Level II code C2618 denotes a probe or needle used for cryoablation procedures. Cryoablation devices play an increasing role in minimally invasive oncology and pain-management interventions by freezing target tissue to achieve lesion destruction. Accurate supply-level coding for cryoablation probes matters nationally because it affects hospital and outpatient facility billing, device inventory tracking, and aggregation of utilization data for emerging interventional therapies.
Key payers in the national coverage landscape include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of how this supply code is used in procedural claims, typical sites of service where cryoablation probes are billed, and common clinical contexts in which the device accompanies interventional cryoablation procedures. The publication summarizes benchmarking and reimbursement context where available, notes common modifiers associated with procedural supplies, and highlights policy considerations relevant to device coding and facility billing practices.
This resource is intended to help billing managers, coding specialists, and policy analysts understand the clinical purpose of C2618, expected service settings, and the payer landscape that commonly processes claims involving cryoablation probes. Data not available in the input will be identified where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code C2618 describes a probe/needle used for cryoablation. The item is a disposable or reusable instrument designed to deliver cryogenic energy to target tissue as part of a cryoablation procedure.
Service type: Cryoablation probe/needle supply
Typical site of service: Outpatient surgical centers, hospital outpatient departments, and interventional radiology suites
Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 62-year-old patient with a symptomatic renal mass amenable to percutaneous cryoablation presents to an ambulatory surgery center or hospital interventional radiology suite. Pre-procedure evaluation includes review of imaging (contrast-enhanced CT or MRI), laboratory studies (coagulation profile, basic metabolic panel), and informed consent. Under conscious sedation or general anesthesia, image-guided placement of a cryoablation probe/needle (C2618) is performed percutaneously into the target lesion using CT or ultrasound guidance. Multiple freeze–thaw cycles are applied to achieve tumor necrosis while monitoring the ice ball and adjacent structures. Post-procedure, the patient is observed in the recovery area; immediate post-ablation imaging may be obtained to assess complications or probe positions. Typical sites of service are the hospital interventional radiology department, outpatient ambulatory surgery center, or specialty cancer center. Common clinical indications include small renal tumors, painful bone metastases, and selected soft-tissue neoplasms where cryoablation offers local tumor control or palliation.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when work required is substantially greater than typical for cryoablation (unusual technical difficulty, extended operative time) and documentation supports increased complexity. |