Soft tissue repair · Foot & ankle
Selective removal of devitalized tissue from an open wound surface, such as slough or fibrin, for the first 20 square centimeters or less of wound area.
- Medicare
- $101.54
- Work RVU
- 0.75
- Global, days
- 0
- Region
- Foot & ankle
Documentation requirements
What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in 3 cited references ↓
- Wound location and measurements (length, width, depth)
- Tissue type removed (slough, fibrin, exudate)
- Instrument used
- Depth of debridement confirming surface only
- Total surface area debrided
- Wound appearance after debridement
Applicable modifiers
Modifiers commonly billed with this code.
Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual
What this code covers
Source · Editorial summary grounded in 3 cited references ↓
97597 is selective debridement of an open wound, removing dead or devitalized tissue from the wound surface with instruments like scissors, a scalpel, or forceps. It covers the first 20 sq cm or less. Larger areas use the add-on 97598. It carries a 0-day global.
Ortho and podiatry practices use it for diabetic foot ulcers, pressure wounds on the heel, and superficial breakdown around a post-op incision. Physicians, NPs, PAs, and therapists can bill it within scope.
Where claims go wrong: depth decides the code. If tissue is removed down to subcutaneous tissue, muscle, or bone, the 11042 to 11047 series applies instead. Do not bill both for the same wound. Add up the surface area of all wounds debrided at the same depth before picking units. In the global period after surgery, routine care of the surgical incision is included in the surgical package. Document wound location, size before and after, tissue removed, instrument, and depth.
RVU & reimbursement
Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.
Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026
Work RVU vs. total RVU
The work RVU (0.75) is the surgeon's own effort — the figure physician pay and productivity targets are built on. The total RVU (3.04) adds practice overhead and malpractice, and is what drives the Medicare payment below.
| Work RVU | 0.75 |
| Practice expense RVU | 2.24 |
| Malpractice RVU | 0.05 |
| Total RVU | 3.04 |
| Medicare national rate | $101.54 |
| Global period | 0 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 | $101.54 |
HOPD (APC 5051) Hospital outpatient department | $204.98 |
Common denial reasons
The recurring reasons claims for CPT 97597 get rejected.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓
- Billed with 11042 to 11047 for the same wound
- Surface area not documented
- Debridement of surgical incision during global period
- Depth documented beyond surface level
- Missing modifier for separate wound sites
- E/M billed same day without modifier 25
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 3 cited references ↓
01When should I use 97597 instead of 11042?
02How do I count area for multiple wounds?
03Can a physical therapist bill 97597?
04Is incision debridement in the global period billable?
Sources & references
Editorial content was developed using the following public sources.
Mira Scribe
Mira Scribe captures wound site, size, tissue removed, and depth in the note, which are the four facts a reviewer uses to confirm 97597 over the deeper debridement codes.
See how Mira captures CPT 97597 documentation