Incision and Drainage CPT: 10040-10180

Incision and Drainage CPT: 10040-10180

What is the difference differentiate between incision and drainage and aspiration??

Incision and drainge requires incision through the skin and then drainage of the abscess, cyst, or paronyhia whereas in the aspiration procedure a needle is used to puncture the area and then aspiration is done using a syringe or suctioned.

CPT does not define what "complicated" means. It has been left to the physician depending upon the the level of difficulty involved in the procedure.

I&D of abscess:

10060 Incision and drainage of abscess (eg, carbuncle, suppurative hidradenitis, cutaneous or subcutaneous abscess, cyst, furuncle, or paronychia); simple or single

10061 Complicated or multiple

The corresponding ICD procedures codes for incision and drainage of skin:

86.04 Incision W Drainage Of Skin/Subcutan Tissue NEC

Along with I&D if the wound requires closure with "packing" then it can be considered as complicated even if single abscess is involved and 10061 can be coded.


Incision and drainage of Pilomidal Cyst:

10080 Incision and drainage of pilonidal cyst; simple
10081 complicated

ICD: 86.03 Incision Of Pilonidal Sinus/Cyst

I&D of hematoma, seroma, or fluid collection:

10140 Incision and drainage of hematoma, seroma or fluid collection
10160 Puncture aspiration of abscess, hematoma, bulla, or cyst


I&D of complex, postoperative wound infection:

10180 Incision and drainage, complex, postoperative wound infection


Puncture aspiration:

10160 Puncture aspiration of abscess, hematoma, bulla, or cyst

ICD: 86.01 Aspiration of skin and subcutaneous tissue (Includes aspiration of abscess, hematoma, seroma of of nail, skin, or subcutaneous tissue)


ICD-9-CM codes:

Abscess: 682 category