© Copyright 2025 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
The CPT® Code 24201 refers to the procedure for the removal of a foreign body located in the upper arm or elbow area, specifically when the foreign body is situated in deep tissue, which can be either subfascial or intramuscular. In medical terminology, subcutaneous tissue is the layer of fat and connective tissue that exists between the skin's dermis and the underlying muscle fascia. In contrast, deep tissue refers to the areas beneath the muscle fascia (subfascial) or within the muscle itself (intramuscular). The procedure involves locating the foreign body, which may be done through physical examination (palpation) or by using radiographic imaging techniques that are separately reportable. Once the foreign body is located, a surgical incision is made in the skin, which can be either straight or elliptical in shape. The procedure requires careful dissection of the tissue to access the foreign body, which may involve the use of surgical instruments such as a hemostat or grasping forceps to facilitate removal. After the foreign body is extracted, the wound is typically irrigated with normal saline or an antibiotic solution to reduce the risk of infection, and the incision is subsequently closed. This code specifically addresses the complexities involved in accessing deeper tissues compared to more superficial foreign body removals, as indicated by the distinction between CPT® Code 24200 and CPT® Code 24201.
© Copyright 2025 Coding Ahead. All rights reserved.
The procedure associated with CPT® Code 24201 is indicated for the removal of foreign bodies located in the upper arm or elbow area when these foreign bodies are situated in deep tissue. The following conditions may warrant this procedure:
The procedure for CPT® Code 24201 involves several critical steps to ensure the safe and effective removal of the foreign body from deep tissue. The following procedural steps are outlined:
After the completion of the procedure associated with CPT® Code 24201, several post-procedure care considerations are important for optimal recovery. Patients are typically monitored for any signs of complications, such as infection or excessive bleeding. Pain management may be provided as needed, and patients are advised on wound care to maintain cleanliness and prevent infection. Follow-up appointments may be scheduled to assess the healing process and to remove sutures if necessary. Patients should also be instructed to report any unusual symptoms, such as increased pain, swelling, or discharge from the incision site, to their healthcare provider promptly.
| Short Descr | RMVL FB UPPER ARM/ELBW DEEP | Medium Descr | REMOVAL FOREIGN BODY UPPER ARM/ELBOW DEEP | Long Descr | Removal of foreign body, upper arm or elbow area; deep (subfascial or intramuscular) | Status Code | Active Code | Global Days | 090 - Major Surgery | PC/TC Indicator (26, TC) | 0 - Physician Service Code | Multiple Procedures (51) | 2 - Standard payment adjustment rules for multiple procedures apply. | Bilateral Surgery (50) | 1 - 150% payment adjustment for bilateral procedures applies. | Physician Supervisions | 09 - Concept does not apply. | Assistant Surgeon (80, 82) | 1 - Statutory payment restriction for assistants at surgery applies to this procedure... | Co-Surgeons (62) | 0 - Co-surgeons not permitted for this procedure. | Team Surgery (66) | 0 - Team surgeons not permitted for this procedure. | Diagnostic Imaging Family | 99 - Concept Does Not Apply | APC Status Indicator | Hospital Part B services paid through a comprehensive APC | ASC Payment Indicator | Surgical procedure on ASC list in CY 2007; payment based on OPPS relative payment weight. | Type of Service (TOS) | 2 - Surgery | Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) | P5B - Ambulatory procedures - musculoskeletal | MUE | 3 | CCS Clinical Classification | 160 - Other therapeutic procedures on muscles and tendons |
| 51 | Multiple procedures: when multiple procedures, other than e/m services, physical medicine and rehabilitation services or provision of supplies (eg, vaccines), are performed at the same session by the same individual, the primary procedure or service may be reported as listed. the additional procedure(s) or service(s) may be identified by appending modifier 51 to the additional procedure or service code(s). note: this modifier should not be appended to designated "add-on" codes (see appendix d). | 52 | Reduced services: under certain circumstances a service or procedure is partially reduced or eliminated at the discretion of the physician or other qualified health care professional. under these circumstances the service provided can be identified by its usual procedure number and the addition of modifier 52, signifying that the service is reduced. this provides a means of reporting reduced services without disturbing the identification of the basic service. note: for hospital outpatient reporting of a previously scheduled procedure/service that is partially reduced or cancelled as a result of extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well-being of the patient prior to or after administration of anesthesia, see modifiers 73 and 74 (see modifiers approved for asc hospital outpatient use). | 54 | Surgical care only: when 1 physician or other qualified health care professional performs a surgical procedure and another provides preoperative and/or postoperative management, surgical services may be identified by adding modifier 54 to the usual procedure number. | 59 | Distinct procedural service: under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was distinct or independent from other non-e/m services performed on the same day. modifier 59 is used to identify procedures/services, other than e/m services, that are not normally reported together, but are appropriate under the circumstances. documentation must support a different session, different procedure or surgery, different site or organ system, separate incision/excision, separate lesion, or separate injury (or area of injury in extensive injuries) not ordinarily encountered or performed on the same day by the same individual. however, when another already established modifier is appropriate it should be used rather than modifier 59. only if no more descriptive modifier is available, and the use of modifier 59 best explains the circumstances, should modifier 59 be used. note: modifier 59 should not be appended to an e/m service. to report a separate and distinct e/m service with a non-e/m service performed on the same date, see modifier 25. | 78 | Unplanned return to the operating/procedure room by the same physician or other qualified health care professional following initial procedure for a related procedure during the postoperative period: it may be necessary to indicate that another procedure was performed during the postoperative period of the initial procedure (unplanned procedure following initial procedure). when this procedure is related to the first, and requires the use of an operating/procedure room, it may be reported by adding modifier 78 to the related procedure. (for repeat procedures, see modifier 76.) | 79 | Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: the individual may need to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was unrelated to the original procedure. this circumstance may be reported by using modifier 79. (for repeat procedures on the same day, see modifier 76.) | AS | Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery | GC | This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician | LT | Left side (used to identify procedures performed on the left side of the body) | RT | Right side (used to identify procedures performed on the right side of the body) | SG | Ambulatory surgical center (asc) facility service | XS | Separate structure, a service that is distinct because it was performed on a separate organ/structure | XU | Unusual non-overlapping service, the use of a service that is distinct because it does not overlap usual components of the main service |
|
Date
|
Action
|
Notes
|
|---|---|---|
| 2023-01-01 | Note | Short description changed. |
| Pre-1990 | Added | Code added. |
Get instant expert-level medical coding assistance.