Surgical removal of a deep foreign body located in the thigh region or knee area, requiring incision through the fascia or into the muscle layer.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 6 sources ↓

Medicare: $638.96
Total RVUs: 19.13
Global, days: 90
Region: Knee

Drawn from AAPCMdclarityAbosCMS

Documentation requirements

What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 6 cited references ↓

Confirm depth: document that the foreign body was subfascial or intramuscular, not subcutaneous
Describe the foreign body by type, size, and condition (e.g., fragmented silicone, retained hardware, gravel)
Record the dissection approach, planes entered, and anatomic location within the thigh or knee region
Quantify extent of removal — dimensions of involved tissue area and number of fragments if applicable
Note irrigation performed and specimen disposition (e.g., sent to pathology)
Document the closure technique and layers closed
Specify laterality (left vs. right) to support LT or RT modifier

Applicable modifiers

Modifiers commonly billed with this code.

Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual

22 Increased complexity 50 Bilateral procedure 51 Multiple procedures 59 Distinct service 76 Repeat, same physician 78 Unplanned return — related 79 Unrelated during global LT Left side RT Right side

What this code covers

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 6 cited references ↓

CPT 27372 covers open surgical extraction of a foreign body situated deep to the fascia or within the musculature of the thigh or knee region. The surgeon makes an incision, dissects through the soft tissue layers, removes the object — which may be fragmented or widely dispersed — irrigates the wound, and closes in layers. The depth distinguishes this from superficial foreign body removal codes; the object must be subfascial or intramuscular to support 27372.

Common clinical scenarios include migrated implant material (e.g., silicone, hardware fragments), retained surgical objects, or traumatic foreign bodies that have worked deep into the thigh or periarticular knee tissue over time. When the material is diffuse or spread over a wide area, operative notes should quantify the extent — dimensions, number of fragments, dissection planes — to support the work actually performed and justify modifier 22 if effort was substantially increased.

The 90-day global period means all routine post-op care through day 90 is bundled. A separate E/M in that window requires modifier 24 (unrelated) or the visit is not separately payable. Any unplanned return to the OR for a related complication (e.g., hematoma, retained material) is billed with modifier 78; an unrelated procedure in the global period uses modifier 79.

RVU & reimbursement

Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	5.08
Practice expense RVU	12.98
Malpractice RVU	1.07
Total RVU	19.13
Medicare national rate	$638.96
Global period	90 days

Payment by site of service

Medicare pays different rates by setting. HOPD typically pays substantially more than ASC for the same procedure.

Source · CMS OPPS Addendum B·ASC HCPCS payment rates·2026

Setting	Medicare rate (national)
Office (PFS non-facility) Procedure performed in physician's office	$638.96
HOPD (APC 5073) Hospital outpatient department	$2,967.63
ASC (PI A2) Ambulatory surgical center (freestanding)	$1,248.36

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 27372 get rejected.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓

Depth not documented — payer downcodes to superficial removal when operative note lacks explicit subfascial or intramuscular language
Laterality modifier missing — some MACs and commercial payers require LT or RT on unilateral extremity procedures
ICD-10 diagnosis mismatch — retained foreign body diagnosis code not present or doesn't match anatomic site billed
Modifier 22 unsupported — increased complexity claimed but operative note doesn't quantify additional work (time, extent, difficulty)
Unbundling conflict — irrigation billed separately when it's integral to the removal procedure

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 6 cited references ↓

01What makes a foreign body removal qualify for 27372 rather than a lower-level code?

The foreign body must be deep — below the fascia or within the muscle. Subcutaneous removal in the knee or thigh region is coded differently. The operative note must explicitly state the depth of dissection to support 27372.

02Can 27372 be billed with modifier 22 if the foreign material was fragmented and spread over a large area?

Yes. If the dissection required significantly more time and effort than a typical single-object extraction — for example, gritty material spread across several centimeters in multiple tissue planes — document the dimensions and complexity in the operative note and append modifier 22. Attach a cover letter explaining the increased work when submitting.

03What ICD-10 codes pair with 27372?

M79.5 (residual foreign body in soft tissue) is the primary match for most chronic retained foreign body scenarios. For acute traumatic foreign bodies, use the appropriate S-code for the thigh or knee region. Confirm laterality in the diagnosis code aligns with the LT or RT modifier on the claim.

04How does the 90-day global period affect billing after 27372?

All routine follow-up visits, wound checks, and dressing changes through day 90 are bundled — bill no separate E/M for those. An E/M for an unrelated problem in that window needs modifier 24. An unplanned return to the OR for a related issue (e.g., hematoma, retained fragment) uses modifier 78.

05Is 27372 appropriate when migrated implant material from a distant site is removed near the knee?

Yes, provided the material is located in the thigh or knee region at the time of surgery, the dissection is deep to the fascia, and the operative note documents the anatomic site. The origin of the foreign material doesn't change the code selection — location and depth at time of removal drive the code.

06Can 27372 be billed bilaterally with modifier 50?

Technically modifier 50 is available if foreign bodies are removed from both thighs or knee regions in the same session, but this is an uncommon clinical scenario. Verify your payer's bilateral payment rules — some apply a 150% allowance, others pay 100% plus 50% for the second side.

Sources & references

Editorial content was developed using the following public sources. Last verified May 8, 2026.

Mira AI Scribe

Mira's AI scribe captures the foreign body description (material type, size, fragmentation), the depth of dissection (subfascial vs. intramuscular), anatomic location within the thigh or knee, extent of involved tissue, irrigation performed, and closure by layer. This prevents the most common denial for 27372: an operative note that confirms removal but omits the depth documentation that distinguishes this code from superficial extraction.

See how Mira captures CPT 27372 documentation