Summary & Overview
HCPCS C7555: Total Thyroidectomy with Parathyroid Autotransplantation
HCPCS Level II code C7555 represents a complete thyroidectomy performed with parathyroid autotransplantation, a surgical approach used to remove the entire thyroid while preserving parathyroid function by transplanting parathyroid tissue. Nationally, this code is relevant for hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers managing thyroid cancer, multinodular goiter, or other indications requiring total gland removal where parathyroid preservation is clinically indicated.
Key payers in the analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context, typical sites of service, and common billing considerations tied to C7555. The publication presents benchmarks and payment context across major national payers, summarizes applicable coding relationships, and highlights policy updates and coverage considerations that affect billing and reimbursement workflows.
This summary provides clinical and billing context to support coding accuracy, claims submission, and payer discussions. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable in detailed sections.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code C7555 describes thyroidectomy, total or complete with parathyroid autotransplantation. This procedure involves complete removal of the thyroid gland combined with surgical relocation (autotransplantation) of parathyroid tissue to preserve parathyroid function.
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Service type: Surgical procedure — total thyroidectomy with parathyroid autotransplantation
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Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or outpatient surgical center
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 48-year-old patient with a multinodular toxic goiter and biochemically proven hyperthyroidism presents after failed medical management and compressive symptoms (dysphagia and neck fullness). Preoperative evaluation includes thyroid function tests, neck ultrasound demonstrating diffusely enlarged gland with dominant nodules, and laryngoscopy to document baseline vocal fold function. The planned operation is a C7555 – total thyroidectomy with parathyroid autotransplantation — indicated intraoperatively when one or more parathyroid glands are devascularized or inadvertently removed and immediate autotransplantation into the ipsilateral sternocleidomastoid or forearm is performed.
Perioperative workflow: informed consent explaining risks (hypocalcemia, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury), anesthesia evaluation, intraoperative nerve monitoring as available, meticulous dissection with identification of parathyroid glands, performance of total thyroidectomy, immediate autotransplantation of viable parathyroid tissue into muscle pockets, specimen sent for pathology, postoperative monitoring of calcium and PTH levels, and discharge with instructions for hypocalcemia signs and endocrine follow-up.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | When work required is substantially greater than typical (extensive scarring, additional dissection). |