CPT® Code 15420

Deleted

Xenograft skin (dermal), for temporary wound closure, face, scalp, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, feet, and/or multiple digits; first 100 sq cm or less, or 1% of body area of infants and children

A dermal xenograft is a specialized type of skin graft used for temporary wound closure in various anatomical locations, including the face, scalp, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, feet, and multiple digits. This procedure involves the application of skin or tissue obtained from another species, most commonly porcine (pig) skin, which is referred to as a heterograft. The porcine grafts undergo a treatment process involving glycerol and are either frozen using liquid nitrogen or freeze-dried, a method known as lyophilization. The primary purpose of a xenograft is to serve as a biologic dressing that provides a protective barrier over the wound until it is eventually rejected by the patient's immune system. When preparing for the application of a xenograft, the graft is thawed if it has been frozen or rehydrated if it has been lyophilized. The graft is then carefully placed onto the prepared wound bed and secured in position using sutures. The CPT® Code 15420 is specifically designated for the use of a dermal xenograft for the first 100 square centimeters or less in adults, or for 1% of the total body surface area (TBSA) in infants and children. For cases requiring additional coverage beyond this initial area, CPT® Code 15421 should be utilized for each subsequent 100 square centimeters in adults or 1% of TBSA in infants and children, or any part thereof.