CPT® Code 15014

Preparation of skin cell suspension autograft, requiring enzymatic processing, manual mechanical disaggregation of skin cells, and filtration; each additional 25 sq cm of harvested skin or part thereof (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)

A skin cell suspension autograft (SCSA) is a specialized procedure designed to prepare a graft from harvested skin to effectively cover partial-thickness wounds. This process involves several intricate steps, including enzymatic processing, which breaks down the skin tissue to facilitate the separation of skin cells. The harvested skin, which is typically very thin, measuring between 0.006 to 0.008 inches in thickness, is meticulously cut into smaller strips, usually sized at 2 cm by 3 cm. These strips are then placed into a device specifically designed for SCSA, where they undergo enzymatic incubation for a duration of 15 to 20 minutes. This incubation is crucial as it allows the skin to soften, making it easier to disaggregate the cells. After incubation, the physician assesses the skin to determine if the enzymatic processing has sufficiently broken down the tissue for easy cell separation. If the skin is not adequately processed, it is returned for further enzymatic treatment. Once the skin cells can be easily separated, the tissue is rinsed with a buffer solution and positioned dermal side down on a mechanical scraping tray. The physician then employs vigorous scraping techniques from various angles to ensure complete removal of the cells. Following this, the scraped material is rinsed to capture all disaggregated cells. Finally, a syringe is used to draw up the prepared SCSA cells from the collection tray, which are then filtered through a cell strainer to ensure a clean suspension. This code, CPT® 15014, is specifically used to report the preparation of each additional 25 square centimeters of harvested skin or any part thereof, in conjunction with the primary procedure code for the first 25 square centimeters or less, which is CPT® 15013.