CCSD code A7300 – Peripheral nerve permanent lesion

Key takeaways

CCSD code A7300 covers a permanent lesion of a named peripheral nerve by radiofrequency, pulsed radiofrequency, cryoprobe or phenol, with or without image guidance.

It is a neurolytic procedure, so a temporary local anesthetic block of the same nerve belongs under A7352 or A7302 instead.

UK private medical insurers such as Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva and Vitality pay against it. The 2026 Bupa CCSD reference lists A7300 at Intermediate 1 with a £245 fee.

Radiofrequency denervation of the knee (A7301), trigeminal branches (AA460) and spinal nerve roots (A5763 to A5766) each have their own code.

The procedure note must name the nerve, its side and the modality used, and the insurer’s pre-authorization number must match the code billed.

Pabau’s practice management software keeps the CCSD code, the procedure note and the insurer claim in one patient record.

CCSD code A7300: Definition and clinical scope

CCSD code A7300 is the UK private healthcare procedure code for permanently lesioning a named peripheral nerve. The lesion is made with radiofrequency energy (conventional thermal or pulsed), a cryoprobe, or an injection of phenol. The official descriptor reads Radiofrequency (including pulsed denervation), cryoprobe or phenol for permanent lesion of named peripheral nerve +/- image guidance.

The code is maintained in the CCSD schedule (Clinical Coding and Schedule Development). That group is run by the UK private medical insurers Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva and Vitality. Each insurer applies its own fees and benefit rules on top of the shared descriptor.

A7300 sits in Chapter 3 of the schedule (“Spine, spinal cord and peripheral nerves”), under other nerve blocks. The 2026 Bupa CCSD reference places it in the Intermediate 1 (INTER 1) category with a £245 fee. The rest of the schedule is covered in our CCSD code library.

Three features set A7300 apart from its neighbors. The lesion is meant to be permanent, the nerve must be named, and three different modalities share one descriptor. Each feature has a direct documentation consequence.

Which modalities does A7300 cover?

A7300 covers four techniques across three modalities: Conventional radiofrequency, pulsed radiofrequency, cryoprobe neurolysis and phenol neurolysis. Their mechanisms differ, and so does the expected duration of nerve disruption. Some insurers look at that duration when they assess a repeat claim.

Pulsed radiofrequency does not heat nerve tissue enough to destroy it the way conventional thermal RF does. Some UK insurers treat pulsed RF differently for benefit purposes, so check the insurer’s current policy before the procedure. Name the modality explicitly in the procedure note.

What counts as a named peripheral nerve?

A named peripheral nerve is one the procedure note identifies by its anatomical name and side. A note that refers only to “the painful area,” “periarticular nerves,” or “nerve branches” does not satisfy the descriptor.

The following peripheral nerves are commonly lesioned in UK interventional pain practice:

• Greater and lesser occipital nerves: Occipital neuralgia and cervicogenic headache.
• Suprascapular nerve: Refractory shoulder pain.
• Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve: Meralgia paresthetica.
• Intercostal nerves: Post-thoracotomy or rib-related neuropathic pain, with the dermatome level recorded.
• Ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric and genitofemoral nerves: Chronic groin pain after surgery.
• Peripheral branches around the hip or ankle: Joint pain where a specific sensory branch has been confirmed by a diagnostic block.

Spinal medial branch denervation for facet joint pain needs extra care. The paraspinal section of Chapter 3 carries neurolytic root block codes that name radiofrequency denervation and rhizolysis by spinal region. Confirm with the insurer which code it expects before you bill A7300 for spinal work.

Facet joint radiofrequency has its own codes in that paraspinal section, chosen by joint count. A5730 covers facet or sacroiliac joint radiofrequency thermocoagulation under X-ray control, including rhizolysis, for 4 to 6 joints. A session covering 1 to 3 joints is billed as A5720 instead.

A7300 and neighboring CCSD codes

The right neighboring code depends on the nerve treated and on whether the lesion is permanent. The guide below asks those two questions in order. The table after it gives each code’s full descriptor from the 2026 Bupa CCSD reference.

A7301 and A7300 both describe radiofrequency nerve lesioning, yet the knee code pays almost twice as much. Billing A7300 for genicular nerve ablation underclaims, and billing A7301 for another joint overclaims. Both errors show up on audit.

Trigeminal branches are carved out the same way. Destruction of a trigeminal branch by neurolytic injection, radiofrequency or cryoprobe bills under CCSD code AA460, never A7300.

Figures come from Pabau’s 2026 Bupa CCSD reference guide. Check current fees in the Bupa code search portal before you bill. Our guide to A7352 covers the local anesthetic block in more detail.

Image guidance under A7300

Image guidance is optional under A7300, because the “+/-” in the descriptor means the code applies with or without it. The descriptor does not say whether guidance attracts a separate fee.

That answer comes from each insurer’s own rules. CCSD descriptors that include “+/- image guidance” generally treat guidance as part of the procedure, so a separate radiology line rarely belongs on the claim. Billing one without insurer approval creates an overpayment risk and a likely audit finding.

• Document the guidance modality: Record whether fluoroscopy, ultrasound or CT was used, and keep the saved images or screening log.
• Check insurer rules before the procedure: Some insurers require image guidance as a condition of authorization rather than as a billing addition.
• Radiologist involvement: If a radiologist provides the guidance, confirm whether that work is billed under their own code and name.
• Fluoroscopy screening logs: Keep the radiation dose record with the procedure note.

Documentation requirements for A7300 claims

A complete procedure note is the most important evidence behind an A7300 claim. It has to contain each element in the table below for the claim to survive an insurer audit.

Storing structured procedure notes in the patient’s clinical records next to the CCSD code means the evidence is ready when an insurer asks for it. Digital forms that capture procedure-specific fields at the point of care cut the risk of notes written after the fact.

Pre-authorization with Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva and Vitality

UK private medical insurers expect A7300 to be authorized before the procedure takes place. The patient usually contacts their insurer for an authorization number, and the practice quotes that number on the claim. Retrospective authorization is rarely accepted.

Each insurer sets its own criteria, and pulsed radiofrequency draws the most scrutiny. Insurers typically look for the following evidence of medical necessity:

• Failed conservative management, such as physical therapy, medication or structured exercise over a set period.
• A positive diagnostic block of the target nerve before the permanent lesion.
• A referral to, or treatment by, a recognized pain medicine specialist.
• A documented diagnosis that matches the nerve treated, such as occipital neuralgia for an occipital nerve lesion.

Fees differ by insurer even though the code is shared. Vitality and Healix publish online fee finders with CCSD-coded procedure fees. Bupa’s code search shows its own fee and authorization status. AXA Health and Aviva publish fee and code information through their specialist portals.

If the authorized code and the billed code differ, the claim stalls. Ask for a revised authorization before the procedure if the plan changes, for example from a peripheral nerve to the knee. Our guide to Bupa CCSD codes explains how Bupa recognizes a code and what each submission needs.

Common denial reasons for CCSD code A7300

Most A7300 denials trace back to a short list of documentation and coding errors. The table below maps each one to its fix.

How Pabau keeps A7300 billing in one record

Many pain practices still write the procedure note in one system and raise the insurer invoice in another. The CCSD code, the named nerve and the authorization number then have to be copied across by hand.

Pabau keeps those steps inside one patient record instead. Its claims software for specialists attaches the CCSD code to the procedure, links the supporting documents and sends the claim to UK insurers through Healthcode.

• Select the code: Pick A7300 from the CCSD code library inside the patient’s encounter.
• Attach the image guidance record: Link the imaging log or saved images to the procedure before the claim goes out.
• Confirm the modality: Check that the linked note names the nerve, the side and the modality. Insurers audit the note as well as the code.
• Add the authorization number: Store the insurer’s reference against the booking so it travels with the claim.
• Track repeat procedures: Use the treatment history to see when each nerve was last lesioned before booking a repeat.

The result is a claim that matches its authorization and its evidence the first time. That means fewer queries from the insurer and faster payment for the practice.

Keep A7300 notes and insurer claims together

Pabau links the CCSD code, the procedure note and the imaging record to one claim, then sends it to UK insurers through Healthcode. Fewer claims come back for missing evidence.

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Conclusion

A7300 pays only when the claim proves three facts: Which named nerve was lesioned, by which modality, and that no closer CCSD code fits. Settle those in the procedure room and agree them with the insurer at authorization. The claim then has little left to query.

Pabau helps UK pain practices bill CCSD codes from the clinical record outward, with the note, the code and the claim in one workflow. To see how it handles interventional pain billing, book a demo.

Continue your research

Billing a local anesthetic block instead? CCSD code A7352 covers local anesthetic blockade of a named major nerve or plexus, and how it differs from A7350 and A7302.

Billing multiple CCSD codes in one encounter? Bupa procedure codes fee schedule explains how Bupa structures chapter fees and applies unbundling rules across multi-code submissions.

Need to look up related Bupa CCSD codes? Bupa CCSD procedure codes covers the full Bupa CCSD framework, including code recognition and submission requirements.

Lesioning a cranial nerve inside the skull? CCSD code A2600 covers other intracranial destruction of a cranial nerve, away from the peripheral targets A7300 bills.

Frequently asked questions