Top 10 most common outpatient surgeries at hospitals
| Rank | HCPCS/CPT code | Description | % of total outpatient surgeries at hospitals in 2022 | Explore dataset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11042 | Debridement of subcutaneous tissue, less than 20sq cm | 1.70% | Explore |
| 2 | 20610 | Aspiration from or injection into a major joint (shoulder, hip, knee) | 1.10% | Explore |
| 3 | 12001 | Simple repair of superficial wounds of scalp, neck, axillae, external genitalia, trunk and/or extremities (including hands and feet) | 0.90% | Explore |
| 4 | 66984 | Cataract surgery with intraocular lens implant, 1 stage | 0.60% | Explore |
| 5 | 12002 | Simple repair of superficial wounds of scalp, neck, axillae, external genitalia, trunk, and extremities; 2.6 cm to 7.5 cm | 0.60% | Explore |
| 6 | 12011 | Simple repair of superficial wounds on face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, mucous membranes; 2.5 cm or smaller | 0.60% | Explore |
| 7 | 27447 | Total knee arthroplasty | 0.60% | Explore |
| 8 | 64447 | Cataract surgery with intraocular lens implant, 1 stage | 0.40% | Explore |
| 9 | 29581 | Application of multi-layer compression system; leg (below knee), including ankle and foot | 0.40% | Explore |
| 10 | 10060 | Drainage of skin abscess | 0.40% | Explore |
Fig. 1 Data is from the Definitive Healthcare product and represents outpatient surgical procedures performed at hospitals in 2022. Claims data is sourced from multiple medical claims clearinghouses in the United States and updated monthly. Data is accurate as of July 2023.
Top 10 most common outpatient surgeries at surgery centers
| Rank | HCPCS/CPT code | Description | % of total outpatient surgeries at surgery centers in 2022 | Explore dataset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 66984 | Cataract surgery with intraocular lens implant, 1 stage | 5.40% | Explore |
| 2 | 64483 | Injection of transforaminal epidural into lumbar/sacral spine | 1.30% | Explore |
| 3 | 64493 | Paravertebral injection to facet joint, lumbar/sacral spine, 1 level | 0.90% | Explore |
| 4 | 66821 | YAG Laser Capsulotomy; after cataract laser surgery | 0.80% | Explore |
| 5 | C1713 | Anchor/screw for opposing bone-to-bone or soft tissue-to-bone (implantable) | 0.80% | Explore |
| 6 | 62323 | Injection(s) of diagnostic or therapeutic substance(s) into lumbar/sacral spine (i.e. anesthetic, opioid, steroid) | 0.70% | Explore |
| 7 | 64494 | Paravertebral injection to facet joint, lumbar/sacral spine, 2 level | 0.60% | Explore |
| 8 | 64635 | Destruction by neurolytic agent, paravertebral facet joint nerves | 0.50% | Explore |
| 9 | 69436 | Create eardrum opening | 0.50% | Explore |
| 10 | V2632 | Posterior chamber intraocular lens | 0.50% | Explore |
Fig. 2 Data is from the Definitive Healthcare product and represents outpatient surgical procedures performed at surgery centers in 2022, the most recent year available. Claims data is sourced from the Ambulatory Surgery Center Limited Data Set, released each January by CMS. Data is accurate as of July 2023.
What is the most common outpatient surgery?
At hospitals, debridement of subcutaneous tissue accounts for 1.7% of all surgical procedures performed. Aspiration from, or injection into, a major joint such as the shoulder, hip, or knee is the next most common surgical procedure at hospitals, representing 1.1% of all outpatient procedures.
Cataract surgery with an intraocular lens implant represents 5.4% of total outpatient procedures at ASCs, making them the most common outpatient surgeries at these facilities. They’re also fairly routine at hospitals, with two cataract surgery codes (66984 and 64447) making up 1% of procedures.
As with hospitals, injections are commonplace at ASCs: epidural injections into the lumbar/sacral spine account for 1.3% of procedures.
Our analysis did not include blood draws, diagnostic tests, or biopsy procedures. It’s also worth noting that colonoscopies are very common at both facilities and are among the priciest outpatient procedures for patients paying out of pocket, according to our data.
Learn more
We developed these insights into the outpatient procedure market using healthcare commercial intelligence from the Definitive Healthcare platform. Want even more insights? Start a free trial now and get access to the latest healthcare commercial intelligence on hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare providers.
