CPT code 01180: Deleted anesthesia code for obturator neurectomy
CPT Code 01180 once covered anesthesia administered for an extrapelvic obturator...
July 14, 2026
Key Takeaways
CPT Code 01180 described anesthesia for an extrapelvic obturator neurectomy, a nerve-release procedure, not general pelvic surgery, and was deleted from the CPT code set effective January 1, 2018.
Claims submitted with CPT 01180 for dates of service on or after January 1, 2018 will be denied by Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payers.
There is no formal AMA crosswalk for CPT 01180. Coders need to match the operative report to the closest active anesthesia code, often in the bony pelvis range (01112-01173), or report an unlisted anesthesia code.
Practice management software like Pabau can reduce anesthesia claim denials by validating membership and authorization details and giving practices real-time visibility into claim status.
CPT Code 01180 once covered anesthesia administered for an extrapelvic obturator neurectomy, a nerve-release procedure performed from outside the pelvic cavity.
Per AAPC Codify, the code was deleted effective January 1, 2018 and is no longer valid for billing on any date of service after that date. Submitting a claim with CPT 01180 today will result in a denial from Medicare, Medicaid, and virtually all commercial payers.
For historical research, audit review, or handling old claims, understanding what the 01180 CPT code covered, its former base unit value, and the modifier rules attached to it remains important.
What CPT code 01180 described clinically
CPT 01180’s official long descriptor was: Anesthesia for obturator neurectomy; extrapelvic. This covered anesthesia given for a nerve-release procedure, surgical division of the obturator nerve, approached from outside the pelvic cavity, and used historically to manage conditions like adductor spasticity or chronic hip and groin pain.
The related code, CPT 01190, covered the intrapelvic version of the same nerve procedure, where the surgeon approached the obturator nerve from inside the pelvis.
A common point of confusion, including in some third-party code lookup tools: the phrase “Anesthesia for procedures on the pelvis (except hip)” is not 01180’s own descriptor. It is the CPT section heading for the entire 01112-01190 anesthesia code block covering the bony pelvis.
Codes grouped under that heading each have their own specific descriptor, from bone marrow aspiration (01112) to open pelvic fracture repair (01173) to the two obturator neurectomy codes (01180 and 01190), and none of them share the umbrella “pelvis (except hip)” wording as their individual descriptor.
Mistaking the section heading for 01180’s own descriptor is an easy trap, since some aggregator sites display category headers without making the distinction clear.
CPT code 01180 deletion: What happened in 2018
The AMA CPT Editorial Panel deletes, revises, or adds codes each year through a formal review process. CPT 01180 was removed from the active code set in the January 1, 2018 annual update cycle.
According to the AMA’s CPT code set overview, the Editorial Panel deletes codes when the clinical concept has been consolidated under other existing codes, the procedure volume no longer justifies a standalone code, or restructuring of a code range better serves coding granularity.
CPT 01190, the intrapelvic version of the same obturator neurectomy procedure, was deleted on the same date. Rather than reflecting a broader restructuring of the pelvic or lower-extremity anesthesia code families, this was a routine low-utilization cleanup.
Obturator neurectomy had become an uncommon, largely historical procedure, and claims volume for both codes had fallen low enough that the AMA CPT Editorial Panel removed them rather than maintaining standalone codes for a rarely billed nerve procedure.
Billing impact of a deleted code
A deleted CPT code has no valid billing date on or after its deletion date. Medicare, Medicaid, and most commercial payers use code-validation edits at the front end of claim adjudication. Any claim containing CPT 01180 with a date of service of January 1, 2018 or later will fail these edits and generate an automatic denial, typically with a remark code indicating “invalid/discontinued procedure code.”
Practices that discover legacy claims or audit findings involving CPT 01180 should assess whether the date of service predates the deletion. For pre-2018 dates of service, the code was valid. For post-2017 dates, a corrected claim using the current crosswalk code is required. The CMS Physician Fee Schedule lookup can help verify whether an anesthesia code is currently active and reimbursable before submission.
Pro Tip
Run a quarterly audit of your anesthesia claims to flag any deleted CPT codes before submission. Filter your practice management system by code range 01100-01999 and cross-reference against the current AMA active code list. Catching a deleted code at billing review costs minutes; catching it after denial costs days of rework and potential appeals.
Former base units and reimbursement for CPT code 01180
Anesthesia reimbursement does not follow the same RVU-based formula used for most CPT codes. Instead, payers apply the formula: (Base Units + Time Units) x Conversion Factor = Payment.
The base unit value assigned to a code reflects the relative complexity of the anesthesia service for that procedure type, as established by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Relative Value Guide (RVG).
CPT 01180’s historical base unit value was 3 units, and CPT 01190 (the intrapelvic version) carried 4 base units, per archived American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Relative Value Guide and CMS anesthesia base unit tables published before the 2018 deletion. Because the codes are no longer active, current fee schedule publications from CMS no longer list them.
Practices reviewing pre-2018 reimbursement records can reference archived anesthesia base unit tables. Standard RVU lookup tools will not help here either: they price most surgical and E/M codes under the RBRVS formula, a formula anesthesia codes never used in the first place.
How anesthesia time units factor in
One time unit is typically equivalent to 15 minutes of anesthesia service time, though some payers use different conventions. An extrapelvic obturator neurectomy requiring 90 minutes of anesthesia would generate 6 time units (90 min / 15 min per unit), which would then be added to the base unit value (3, for CPT 01180) before multiplying by the conversion factor.
This formula applied to CPT 01180 the same way it applies to all anesthesia codes in the 00100-01999 range.
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Modifiers associated with CPT code 01180
While CPT 01180 was active, it was subject to the same anesthesia modifier requirements that apply across the anesthesia code range. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires anesthesia modifiers to identify the type of practitioner involved and the nature of the anesthesia service. These modifiers were appended to the primary anesthesia CPT code, including 01180, on all claims.
The most commonly required anesthesia modifiers during the period CPT 01180 was active included the following. Understanding these helps coders working on pre-2018 claim audits or appeals involving pelvic procedure anesthesia.
Modifier usage with deleted codes on corrected or amended claims requires care. For pre-2018 dates of service, the modifier combination used at original billing should be preserved on resubmissions. Introducing a new modifier on a corrected claim without clinical documentation support creates additional audit risk.
The National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits governed modifier pairing rules during the period 01180 was active. Similar modifier frameworks apply to pelvic health procedures today, including those managed by pelvic health software platforms that integrate billing workflow tools.
Crosswalk: What to bill instead of CPT code 01180
When CPT 01180 and 01190 were deleted, the AMA did not publish a formal one-to-one replacement code, and coders should be skeptical of any source that claims otherwise.
Because 01180 described a nerve procedure (obturator neurectomy) rather than a general pelvic-surgery approach, there is no single anatomically equivalent active code to crosswalk to. The right approach depends on how the surgeon documented the case.
For claims involving a historical obturator neurectomy, coders typically have two options.
The first is to identify the nearest active anesthesia code for the surgical approach documented in the operative report, most plausibly one of the bony pelvis anesthesia codes below if the nerve work was part of a broader pelvic procedure. The second is to report an unlisted anesthesia code (01999) with supporting documentation when no listed code adequately describes the service.
These are nearby active anesthesia codes, not a replacement for 01180, and coders should verify with the operative report and payer policy before selecting either path. The same crosswalk logic applies to other deleted anesthesia codes, including CPT 00740.
None of the codes above describe an obturator neurectomy directly; they are simply the closest active codes in the same CPT anesthesia section. The most defensible approach is to query the operative report for the surgical approach and anatomical site, review current CPT manual guidance on reporting unlisted procedures, and consult the payer’s provider relations team when uncertainty exists. Documenting the rationale for whichever code is selected protects against future audit exposure.
Pro Tip
Document your code-selection rationale in the billing record, not just the chart. When an auditor reviews a claim that once used a deleted code, they will look for the decision trail. A one-sentence notation in your billing system such as ‘CPT 01180 deleted 1/1/2018; no formal AMA crosswalk exists; reported as unlisted anesthesia procedure 01999 based on operative report’ significantly reduces recoupment risk.
Documentation requirements formerly associated with CPT code 01180
Anesthesia records for pelvic procedures billed under CPT 01180 needed to satisfy standard CMS and payer documentation requirements for anesthesia services. These requirements still apply to the current crosswalk codes and to any pre-2018 claim review.
- Pre-anesthesia evaluation: A documented pre-op assessment confirming patient history, allergies, airway classification, and ASA physical status. This assessment drives the P-modifier selection.
- Intraoperative record: A contemporaneous anesthesia record documenting start time, stop time, agents administered, monitoring data, and any clinical events.
- Post-anesthesia note: Documentation of the patient’s condition at transfer from anesthesia care, addressing pain, respiratory status, and any complications.
- Surgical procedure match: The anesthesia code must correlate directly with the surgical CPT code(s) on the same claim. Pelvic procedure anesthesia codes should link to orthopedic, gynecological, or urological pelvic surgery codes as appropriate.
- Medical necessity diagnoses: ICD-10-CM codes supporting the surgical procedure inform the payer’s determination that anesthesia was medically necessary. Without relevant diagnosis codes, the claim fails medical necessity review regardless of the anesthesia code’s validity.
Practices using digital clinical forms that integrate with their billing workflow can streamline how pre-anesthesia evaluation data flows from clinical documentation into the claim record, reducing the risk of missing documentation that triggers denials.
This is particularly relevant for surgical practices handling high volumes of anesthesia-associated claims. Proper documentation also intersects with broader HIPAA compliance for medical offices obligations around patient record retention.
Billing workflow implications for practices encountering CPT code 01180
Most practices will encounter CPT 01180 in one of three scenarios: a claim edit system flagging it on submission, a legacy claim audit surfacing it during retrospective review, or a revenue cycle analysis identifying historical denial patterns. Each requires a different response.
Scenario 1: Claim rejected at submission
If CPT 01180 appears in a claims queue being submitted today, the billing system should have flagged it before it reached the payer. If it did not, a pre-submission scrubbing workflow is needed: pull the claim, identify the date of service, and apply the correct active crosswalk code based on the operative report. Resubmit within the payer’s timely filing window.
Using claims management software that validates claim details and tracks status before submission can help catch this category of error before it reaches the payer.
Scenario 2: Legacy claim audit (pre-2018 DOS)
If the date of service is before January 1, 2018, CPT 01180 was a valid code at that time. A payer auditing those claims today should acknowledge the code’s validity for that period. The billing team should document the deletion date context in any audit response letter and reference the AAPC deleted CPT codes registry as the supporting source.
Scenario 3: Revenue cycle historical analysis
Revenue cycle teams reviewing denial patterns may find CPT 01180 appearing in post-2017 denials that were never corrected. These represent a potential recoverable revenue opportunity.
Each claim should be assessed for timely filing compliance with the original payer, the correct crosswalk code, and available supporting documentation before pursuing a corrected claim. This kind of historical-code review is a standard part of broader revenue cycle management work, not unique to anesthesia billing.
Practices should also ensure their prescription management and clinical documentation systems are aligned with current code sets, not carrying over legacy code mappings from pre-2018 configurations.
Outdated code libraries embedded in clinical or billing software are a common root cause of deleted code submissions years after a deletion takes effect, a risk that applies just as much to other frequently revised anesthesia codes like CPT 00474 and CPT 00938.
Related CPT codes in the anesthesia pelvic range
Understanding where CPT 01180 sat within the broader family of anesthesia CPT codes helps coders understand the code’s original context. The anesthesia code set maintained by the AMA’s CPT coding resources groups anesthesia codes by anatomical region.
CPT 01180 and 01190 sat within the 01112-01190 block, the CPT section covering anesthesia for procedures on the bony pelvis (except hip), which is the section heading itself, not any single code’s descriptor.
The diagnosis code billed alongside the anesthesia service matters just as much as the procedure code itself. For a pelvic surgical case, that might mean pairing the claim with a diagnosis code like N72 when it supports medical necessity for the operative report.
Conclusion
CPT Code 01180 is no longer a valid billing code, and neither is its intrapelvic counterpart, CPT 01190. Any claim using either code with a date of service on or after January 1, 2018 will be denied. For pre-2018 audit or appeals work, both codes were legitimate for the obturator neurectomy procedures they described.
For current billing, there is no formal crosswalk. The correct approach is to review the operative report, select the closest active anesthesia code or report an unlisted anesthesia procedure, and document the rationale.
The broader lesson is that anesthesia code maintenance requires ongoing attention to the AMA’s annual CPT updates. Pabau’s claims management software helps surgical practices build billing workflows that catch errors before claims reach the payer, cutting down on rework and protecting revenue. To see how Pabau handles anesthesia and surgical billing workflows, book a demo.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is CPT Code 01180?
CPT Code 01180 was a deleted anesthesia code that described anesthesia for an extrapelvic obturator neurectomy, surgical division of the obturator nerve from outside the pelvic cavity, used historically to manage conditions like adductor spasticity or chronic groin pain. It was removed from the active CPT code set on January 1, 2018 and is no longer valid for billing on any date of service after that date.
Why was CPT Code 01180 deleted?
The AMA CPT Editorial Panel deleted CPT 01180 effective January 1, 2018 as part of a routine low-utilization code cleanup. CPT 01190, the intrapelvic version of the same obturator neurectomy procedure, was deleted on the same date. This was not part of a broader restructuring of the hip or lower-extremity anesthesia codes; obturator neurectomy had simply become an uncommon procedure with too little claims volume to justify standalone codes.
What code should I use instead of CPT Code 01180?
There is no formal AMA crosswalk for CPT 01180. Because it described a nerve procedure rather than a general pelvic-surgery approach, coders need to match the operative report to the closest active anesthesia code, most plausibly one of the bony pelvis anesthesia codes in the 01112-01173 range if the nerve work was part of a broader pelvic procedure, or report an unlisted anesthesia code (01999) with supporting documentation. Always confirm the choice against the operative report and payer policy.
Can CPT Code 01180 be submitted for dates of service before 2018?
Yes. For dates of service prior to January 1, 2018, CPT 01180 was a valid active code and was correctly billed during that period. Payers conducting retrospective audits of pre-2018 claims should accept the code as valid for that timeframe. If a payer disputes the code for a pre-2018 date of service, reference the AAPC Codify deleted CPT codes registry showing the January 1, 2018 deletion date.
What modifiers were used with CPT Code 01180?
The same anesthesia modifier set that applies across the 00100-01999 range applied to CPT 01180: modifier AA for anesthesiologist personal performance, QZ for independent CRNA, QK for medical direction of concurrent cases, QX for CRNA under physician direction, ASA physical status modifiers P1-P6, and modifier 23 for unusual anesthesia circumstances.
What were the base units for CPT Code 01180?
CPT 01180 carried a historical base unit value of 3 units, and CPT 01190 (the intrapelvic version) carried 4 units, according to archived ASA Relative Value Guide and CMS anesthesia base unit tables published before the 2018 deletion. Current fee schedule tools do not list deleted codes, so archived tables are the only source for these historical values. Standard RVU lookup tools will not help here either, since they price codes under the RBRVS formula that anesthesia has never used; anesthesia base units come from the ASA Relative Value Guide instead.
