Healthcare Insights
Top inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures
Surgery is a medical treatment provided through an incision in the body. Surgery may be performed electively or in emergency situations to make or confirm a diagnosis, repair or transplant tissues or organs, implant a medical device, alter physical appearance, and much more.
Inpatient vs. outpatient surgery
Inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures have important differences that impact patient care, healthcare costs, and resource allocation in the healthcare system.
Inpatient surgeries are performed in a hospital setting, where patients typically stay for at least one night after the procedure, and thus tend to require greater resources than outpatient procedures. These surgeries are generally reserved for patients with more complex or serious medical conditions and subsequently require extensive post-operative care and monitoring. Outpatient surgeries, also known as same-day or ambulatory surgeries, may be performed in a surgical center or hospital, but the patient is discharged the same day as the procedure, making them more cost- and labor-effective in most cases.
Using intelligence from the Atlas All-Payor Claims Dataset, the following tables rank the most commonly performed inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures in 2024, the most recent full year for which data is available.
| Rank | ICD-10 PCS code | Description | % of inpatient surgical procedures | Explore dataset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 02HV33Z | Insertion of Infusion Device into Superior Vena Cava, Percutaneous Approach | 4.00% | Explore |
| 2 | 10E0XZZ | Delivery of Products of Conception, External Approach | 3.56% | Explore |
| 3 | 10907ZC | Drainage of Amniotic Fluid, Therapeutic from Products of Conception, Via Natural or Artificial Opening | 2.46% | Explore |
| 4 | 10D00Z1 | Extraction of Products of Conception, Low, Open Approach | 1.83% | Explore |
| 5 | 0VTTXZZ | Resection of Prepuce, External Approach | 1.60% | Explore |
| 6 | 0KQM0ZZ | Repair Perineum Muscle, Open Approach | 1.46% | Explore |
| 7 | 0DJ08ZZ | Inspection of Upper Intestinal Tract, Via Natural or Artificial Opening Endoscopic | 1.33% | Explore |
| 8 | 8E0W4CZ | Robotic Assisted Procedure of Trunk Region, Percutaneous Endoscopic Approach | 1.33% | Explore |
| 9 | 03HY32Z | Insertion of Monitoring Device into Upper Artery, Percutaneous Approach | 1.17% | Explore |
| 10 | 0DB68ZX | Excision of Stomach, Via Natural or Artificial Opening Endoscopic, Diagnostic | 1.04% | Explore |
Fig. 1 Data is from the Definitive Healthcare Atlas All-Payor Claims Dataset for calendar year 2024. Note that CPT Code 36475 (Routine Venipuncture) is not included.
What are the most common inpatient surgical procedures?
The most common inpatient surgical procedure performed in 2024 was ICD-10 code 02HV33Z. This cardiac procedure involves the insertion of a central catheter that ultimately terminates the patient’s superior vena cava, a large, valveless vein that pumps deoxygenated blood from the upper half of the body and returns it to the right atrium. This procedure accounted for 4% of all inpatient surgeries done in 2024.
In second place is ICD-10 code 10E0XZZ. This procedure involves the vaginal delivery of a baby from the birth canal with a doctor’s assistance. The procedure accounted for 3.56% of all inpatient surgical procedures in 2024.
In third place is ICD-10 code 10907ZC, a procedure to drain amniotic fluid through the cervix or an artificial opening. This procedure accounted for 2.46% of all inpatient surgeries done in 2024.
| Rank | CPT code | Description | % of outpatient surgical procedures | Explore dataset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 43239 | Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, flexible, transoral; with biopsy, single or multiple | 5.43% | Explore |
| 2 | 20610 | Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection, major joint or bursa (eg, shoulder, hip, knee, subacromial bursa); without ultrasound guidance | 5.02% | Explore |
| 3 | 45385 | Colonoscopy, flexible; with removal of tumor(s), polyp(s), or other lesion(s) by snare technique | 5.01% | Explore |
| 4 | 45380 | Colonoscopy, flexible; with biopsy, single or multiple | 4.63% | Explore |
| 5 | 66984 | Extracapsular cataract removal with insertion of intraocular lens prosthesis (1 stage procedure), manual or mechanical technique (eg, irrigation and aspiration or phacoemulsification); without endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation | 3.95% | Explore |
| 6 | 67028 | Intravitreal injection of a pharmacologic agent (separate procedure) | 3.40% | Explore |
| 7 | 17000 | Destruction (eg, laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery, surgical curettement), premalignant lesions (eg, actinic keratoses); first lesion | 3.13% | Explore |
| 8 | 17110 | Destruction (eg, laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery, surgical curettement), of benign lesions other than skin tags or cutaneous vascular proliferative lesions; up to 14 lesions | 3.10% | Explore |
| 9 | 45378 | Colonoscopy, flexible; diagnostic, including collection of specimen(s) by brushing or washing, when performed (separate procedure) | 2.70% | Explore |
| 10 | 11102 | Tangential biopsy of skin (eg, shave, scoop, saucerize, curette); single lesion | 2.42% | Explore |
Fig. 2 Data is from the Definitive Healthcare Atlas All-Payor Claims Dataset for calendar year 2024. Note that CPT Code 36475 (Routine Venipuncture) is not included.
What are the most common outpatient surgical procedures?
The esophagogastroduodenoscopy (CPT code 43239), or upper endoscopy, comes in first place, accounting for 5.43% of all outpatient surgical procedures done in 2024. This procedure involves using a flexible, light-equipped scope to examine the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract.
CPT code 20610 involves the healthcare provider using a syringe to inject or aspirate fluid into/from a large joint, such as a knee, hip, or shoulder. The procedure accounted for 5.02% of all outpatient surgeries in 2024.
In third place is the colonoscopy (CPT code 45385), which accounted for 5.01% of all outpatient surgeries performed in 2024.
Learn more
Looking for more inpatient or outpatient procedure data? Explore this list of common outpatient surgical procedures or find out which U.S. hospitals see the most patients for surgical care. Healthcare Insights are developed with healthcare data and analytics from the Definitive Healthcare platform. Want even more insights? Start a free trial now and get access to the latest intelligence on hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare providers.
