CPT 12001 – Simple Wound Repair

CPT 12001 – Simple repair of superficial wounds of scalp, neck, axillae, external genitalia, trunk, and/or extremities (including hands and feet). This code is used for the simplest type of superficial repair of a wound that does not exceed 2.5 cm in length.

A superficial wound of the scalp, neck, axillae, external genitalia, trunk, and/other extremities (hands or feet) that involves the external epidermis, dermis, or subcutaneous tissue is closed by a physician by performing a single-layer closure. The physician uses tissue adhesives, staples, or suture materials for this type of wound closure. Local anesthetic and chemical or electrocauterization are used for wounds not closed.

Wound repair is classified into Simple, Intermediate, or Complex. Simple repair (CPTS 12001-12007 and 12011-12018) is used when the wound is superficial, involving only the epidermis and dermis, or subcutaneous tissues that do not involve deeper structures. This type of repair only requires a simple one-layer closure/suture.

The length of the wound is another component that must be considered when coding the repair. Whether curved, angular, or stellate the repaired wound should be measured in centimeters and must not exceed 2.5 cm in length to qualify for CPT 12001. For multiple lacerations, add the lengths of the wound together and choose the appropriate code based on its size. We should only add the lengths of wounds of the same anatomic site.