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Official Description

Slitting of prepuce, dorsal or lateral (separate procedure); except newborn

© Copyright 2025 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

Common Language Description

The procedure described by CPT® Code 54001 involves the slitting of the prepuce, which is the fold of skin that covers the glans penis in uncircumcised males. This procedure is specifically indicated for cases where the prepuce is too tight, a condition known as phimosis. The physician performs a dorsal or lateral incision to relieve the tightness, allowing for better exposure of the glans and facilitating hygiene and other necessary medical interventions. It is important to note that this procedure is not applicable to newborns; for such cases, CPT® Code 54000 should be used instead. The distinction between these codes is crucial for accurate medical coding and billing, ensuring that the correct procedure is documented based on the patient's age and specific clinical circumstances.

© Copyright 2025 Coding Ahead. All rights reserved.

1. Indications

The slitting of the prepuce, as described by CPT® Code 54001, is indicated for the following conditions:

  • Phimosis - A condition where the prepuce is too tight to be retracted over the glans penis, causing discomfort or difficulty in hygiene.
  • Recurrent infections - Situations where tightness of the prepuce may lead to recurrent infections or inflammation of the glans (balanitis).
  • Interference with urination - Instances where the tight prepuce obstructs normal urinary flow.

2. Procedure

The procedure for slitting the prepuce involves several key steps that ensure the safety and effectiveness of the intervention:

  • Step 1: Preparation - The patient is positioned appropriately, and the area is cleaned and sterilized to minimize the risk of infection. Local anesthesia may be administered to ensure the patient’s comfort during the procedure.
  • Step 2: Incision - The physician makes a precise dorsal or lateral incision in the prepuce. The choice of incision site depends on the specific anatomy of the patient and the degree of tightness present. The incision is made carefully to avoid damage to surrounding tissues.
  • Step 3: Assessment - After the incision, the physician assesses the extent of the slit to ensure that it adequately relieves the tightness of the prepuce. This step is crucial for determining if further intervention is necessary.
  • Step 4: Closure (if necessary) - In some cases, sutures may be required to close the incision, although this is not always necessary depending on the size and nature of the slit.
  • Step 5: Post-Procedure Care - The physician provides instructions for post-procedure care, including hygiene practices and signs of potential complications to monitor.

3. Post-Procedure

After the slitting of the prepuce, patients are typically advised to follow specific post-procedure care instructions to promote healing and prevent complications. This may include keeping the area clean and dry, avoiding strenuous activities for a short period, and monitoring for any signs of infection such as increased redness, swelling, or discharge. Follow-up appointments may be scheduled to assess healing and address any concerns that may arise during the recovery process.

Short Descr SLITTING OF PREPUCE
Medium Descr SLITTING PREPUCE DORSAL/LAT SPX XCP NEWBORN
Long Descr Slitting of prepuce, dorsal or lateral (separate procedure); except newborn
Status Code Active Code
Global Days 010 - Minor Procedure
PC/TC Indicator (26, TC) 0 - Physician Service Code
Multiple Procedures (51) 2 - Standard payment adjustment rules for multiple procedures apply.
Bilateral Surgery (50) 0 - 150% payment adjustment for bilateral procedures does NOT apply.
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) P5E - Ambulatory procedures - other
MUE 1
CCS Clinical Classification 117 - Other non-OR therapeutic procedures, male genital
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).
22 Increased procedural services: when the work required to provide a service is substantially greater than typically required, it may be identified by adding modifier 22 to the usual procedure code. documentation must support the substantial additional work and the reason for the additional work (ie, increased intensity, time, technical difficulty of procedure, severity of patient's condition, physical and mental effort required). note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service.
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).
53 Discontinued procedure: under certain circumstances, the physician or other qualified health care professional may elect to terminate a surgical or diagnostic procedure. due to extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well being of the patient, it may be necessary to indicate that a surgical or diagnostic procedure was started but discontinued. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 53 to the code reported by the individual for the discontinued procedure. note: this modifier is not used to report the elective cancellation of a procedure prior to the patient's anesthesia induction and/or surgical preparation in the operating suite. for outpatient hospital/ambulatory surgery center (asc) 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).
58 Staged or related procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: it may be necessary to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was: (a) planned or anticipated (staged); (b) more extensive than the original procedure; or (c) for therapy following a surgical procedure. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 58 to the staged or related procedure. note: for treatment of a problem that requires a return to the operating/procedure room (eg, unanticipated clinical condition), see modifier 78.
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.
74 Discontinued out-patient hospital/ambulatory surgery center (asc) procedure after administration of anesthesia: due to extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well being of the patient, the physician may terminate a surgical or diagnostic procedure after the administration of anesthesia (local, regional block(s), general) or after the procedure was started (incision made, intubation started, scope inserted, etc). under these circumstances, the procedure started but terminated can be reported by its usual procedure number and the addition of modifier 74. note: the elective cancellation of a service prior to the administration of anesthesia and/or surgical preparation of the patient should not be reported. for physician reporting of a discontinued procedure, see modifier 53.
76 Repeat procedure or service by same physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was repeated by the same physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 76 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service.
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.)
AQ Physician providing a service in an unlisted health professional shortage area (hpsa)
CC Procedure code change (use 'cc' when the procedure code submitted was changed either for administrative reasons or because an incorrect code was filed)
CR Catastrophe/disaster related
GC This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician
GV Attending physician not employed or paid under arrangement by the patient's hospice provider
GW Service not related to the hospice patient's terminal condition
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
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