CPT® Code 15156

Add-On Code

Tissue cultured skin autograft, face, scalp, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, feet, and/or multiple digits; additional 1 sq cm to 75 sq cm (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)

A tissue cultured skin autograft is a specialized surgical procedure utilized to cover defects in various anatomical areas, including the face, scalp, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, feet, and multiple digits. This procedure involves the harvesting of epidermal tissue from the patient, which is then processed in a laboratory setting. The harvested tissue undergoes a meticulous process where it is separated from dermal cells and cultured in an incubator. During this culturing phase, the epidermal cells, known as keratinocytes, are provided with essential nutrients to promote their growth into sheets of skin suitable for grafting. Once the cultured graft is ready, it is placed in a transport medium and returned to the medical facility for the grafting procedure. The physician then carefully removes the graft from the transport medium and positions it over the prepared wound bed at the recipient site. To secure the graft in place, the physician may use interrupted sutures around the edges, or alternatively, staples or fibrin sealant may be employed. This procedure is critical for restoring skin integrity and function in areas affected by injury, disease, or surgical excision.