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Last Updated: Nov 13, 2026
CCSD Code
CCSD code N2610 – Total penectomy surgery
Code Definition
N2610 is the CCSD code for total amputation of penis, the operation surgeons call a total penectomy. It covers removal of the whole penis, with the corpora divided at the crura and a perineal urethrostomy formed for voiding.
The code sits in chapter 12 of the CCSD schedule, under sub-chapter 12.6.0 Genitalia, and Bupa grades it MAJOR 5. Partial amputation, where a stump remains, is a separate code, N2620.
- Group
- 12 Urinary system and male reproductive organs
- Category
- 12.6.0 Genitalia
- Bupa grade
- Major 5
- Billable
- No
- Code also known as
- complete penectomy, radical penectomy, total amputation of penis, penile amputation
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Key takeaways
CCSD code N2610 covers total amputation of the penis in the UK private-healthcare procedure schedule. Partial penectomy is a different code, N2620.
UK private medical insurers such as Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva and VitalityHealth accept CCSD codes, and most claims clear electronically through Healthcode.
Bupa’s February 2026 schedule places N2610 in category MAJOR 5, four grades above N2620 at MAJOR 1.
The patient’s pre-authorisation number, a clear operation note and the histology report are what keep an N2610 claim from bouncing.
An inguinal lymph node dissection in the same session is a separate CCSD code, T8550, and needs its own operative record.
What is CCSD code N2610?
CCSD code N2610 is the procedure code for total amputation of the penis, the operation surgeons call a total penectomy. It sits in chapter 12 of the schedule, Urinary system and male reproductive organs, under sub-chapter 12.6.0 Genitalia.
The Clinical Coding and Schedule Development (CCSD) Group publishes the schedule that UK private healthcare uses to bill procedures.
UK private medical insurers accept CCSD codes, including Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, VitalityHealth, Cigna, WPA, Healix and Allianz Care. N2610 is one entry in our CCSD code library. The NHS codes the same operation in OPCS-4 instead, so an NHS coding reference will not show N2610.
What total penectomy involves
Total penectomy is a major urological operation performed under general anaesthesia. Coders read the operation note against these steps to confirm that N2610, not N2620, is the right code.
- Circumferential incision: the surgeon incises around the base of the penis and mobilises it fully.
- Excision of the corpora and glans: both corpora cavernosa are divided at the crura and removed with the glans, and the dorsal vessels are ligated.
- Urethral division: the urethra is divided at the bulbar level, leaving enough length for diversion.
- Perineal urethrostomy: the urethra is brought out through a separate perineal incision and sutured to the skin, so the patient voids sitting down.
- Closure: the wound is closed in layers, usually over a drain.
The perineal urethrostomy is part of the operation itself. Under the CCSD principle that integral steps are not billed as extra lines, it travels with N2610 rather than as a separate code.
Clinical indications and ICD-10 codes to pair with N2610
Total penectomy is almost always a cancer operation, chosen when a partial procedure cannot leave a clear margin and a functional stump. UK insurers that ask for a diagnosis code expect the WHO edition of ICD-10, not the US ICD-10-CM.
Code the cancer to the most specific sub-site the histology report supports, using the WHO ICD-10 browser. A benign or inflammatory diagnosis with no documented extent of disease invites a clinical review. When an injured penis can still be repaired, the operation is coded N2880 instead.
N2610 vs N2620: Total vs partial penectomy
Choosing between total and partial amputation is the most common coding decision on this page. CCSD code N2620 covers partial amputation, where a proximal stump and a urethral opening on it remain. When only a lesion is cut out and the shaft is kept, the operation is coded N2710 instead.
The deciding question is whether any penile stump remains. If the note confirms removal at the crura with a perineal urethrostomy, N2610 is correct. If a stump is left, N2620 applies.
The two operations sit four categories apart in the Bupa fee schedule, so a wrong choice moves the fee along with the code. The chart below traces that decision from the operation note.
Companion codes and what N2610 already includes
Other codes may sit alongside N2610 when separate work is done in the same session. Each one needs its own operative record.
CCSD combination lists are guidance, and each insurer decides how it applies them. Check the insurer’s own coding policy before adding a companion line, because an unbundled line is cut from the payment.
Pro Tip
Before booking theatre time, ask the patient’s insurer whether its authorisation covers N2610 alone or N2610 with T8550. A staged node dissection needs its own authorisation, and finding that out after surgery is how claims stall.
Documentation requirements for N2610 claims
UK insurers rarely ask for the full record up front, but they query high-grade cancer operations often. Keep these elements in the record so a query can be answered the same day.
- Extent of resection: explicit confirmation that the whole penis, including the corpora at the base, was removed.
- Urethrostomy: the perineal urethrostomy technique and stoma site.
- Margin status: a proximal margin confirmed clear by frozen section or final histology.
- Indication and staging: the tumour stage and the reason a partial procedure was not possible.
- Companion procedures: any node dissection described as a separate operative step.
- Episode details: date of surgery, the operating consultant and the insurer’s authorisation number.
Keep the histology report linked to the episode. Insurers commonly ask for it on oncology claims to confirm the specimen matched the indication.
Pre-authorisation for N2610
In UK private care, the patient usually calls the insurer for authorisation before treatment. The consultant’s team supplies the CCSD code and the planned admission date for that call.
An authorisation confirms cover at that moment. It does not guarantee payment if the claim later differs from what was authorised, such as an added node dissection.
Common reasons N2610 claims are denied
Most N2610 denials trace back to a short list of causes. Fix the cause before resubmitting, because insurers notice the same claim bouncing back twice.
How to appeal a denied N2610 claim
An appeal works when it answers the insurer’s stated reason directly. Generic letters get the same answer twice.
- Read the rejection in Healthcode: note the insurer’s stated reason and the claim reference first.
- Correct and resubmit where you can: a coding or missing-field error is fixed faster with a corrected electronic claim than an appeal.
- Gather the evidence: the operation note, histology report, authorisation number and referral letter.
- Write to the insurer’s provider services or claims team: the consultant answers the stated reason and quotes the Healthcode reference.
- Escalate a cover dispute through the patient: the patient can take it further once the insurer has given a final response, or after eight weeks. That route runs to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
N2610 and CPT code 54125: Cross-reference for international coders
Coders who work across UK and US billing often need the nearest CPT match for N2610. CPT 54125, amputation of penis, complete, describes the same operation.
The cross-reference is for orientation only. A CPT code on a UK insurer claim, or a CCSD code on a US claim, is rejected on arrival.
How Pabau keeps N2610 claims complete before they reach Healthcode
In many urology practices, the authorisation number lives in an email and the histology report in a separate inbox. The two meet only when someone keys the claim into Healthcode by hand. That is where missing-field rejections start.
Pabau, the practice management software we build, sends UK insurer claims through Healthcode from the patient record. Its claims software for consultants keeps the CCSD code, the authorisation number and the operation note against the same episode.
Pabau checks that required fields, such as membership and authorisation numbers, are complete before the claim goes out.
Claim status then shows in the same system, so your team answers insurer queries without logging in to each portal. For urology practices running oncology surgery alongside routine cases, that means fewer resubmissions and faster payment.
Send complete CCSD claims through Healthcode
Pabau keeps the authorisation number, operation note and CCSD code on one patient record, then sends the claim to UK insurers through Healthcode. See how it fits your urology billing.
Conclusion
N2610 is a straightforward code once the operation note answers one question: was any penile stump left? If not, it is N2610, and the urethrostomy rides with it. If so, it is N2620, four Bupa grades lower.
Settle the authorisation, including any node dissection, before the admission date. Then make sure the histology report is on the record before the claim leaves. Book a demo to see how Pabau sends complete CCSD claims through Healthcode for your urology patients.
Continue your research
Need the full Bupa schedule? Bupa CCSD codes lists every code with its category and fee in one reference.
Billing another penile operation? CCSD code N2780 covers the operation for Peyronie’s disease.
Frequently asked questions
What does CCSD code N2610 cover?
N2610 covers total amputation of the penis, with the corpora removed at the base and a perineal urethrostomy formed. It is a code in the UK private-healthcare CCSD schedule.
What is the difference between N2610 and N2620?
N2610 is total amputation, with no penile stump left. N2620 is partial amputation, where a proximal stump remains. Bupa grades N2610 at MAJOR 5 and N2620 at MAJOR 1.
Which insurers accept CCSD code N2610?
UK private medical insurers use the CCSD schedule, including Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, VitalityHealth, Cigna, WPA, Healix and Allianz Care. Most claims are submitted electronically through Healthcode.
Does N2610 need pre-authorisation?
Most UK insurers expect authorisation before a major cancer operation like this. The patient usually calls the insurer, and the consultant’s team supplies the CCSD code and admission date.
Is the perineal urethrostomy billed separately?
No. The urethrostomy is an integral step of a total penectomy, so it travels with N2610. An inguinal node dissection in the same session is a separate code, T8550.
Which ICD-10 codes are used with N2610?
Penile cancer codes C60.0 to C60.9 are the usual pairing, coded to the sub-site in the histology report. UK insurers that ask for a diagnosis code expect the WHO edition of ICD-10.
How does N2610 compare to CPT 54125?
CPT 54125, amputation of penis, complete, is the nearest US match. N2610 is for UK private insurer claims and 54125 is for US claims, so neither works in the other system.
