Category: Surgery

Basics of CPT code 27405, 27407 and 27409 A surgical reconstruction means that the remnant of the torn ACL/PCL is removed, and a new ligament is created with tissue from elsewhere in the body or donated from a cadaveric donor. ACL/PCL reconstruction surgery has been very successful, but there are concerns that it may not be the ideal solution for people who have injured their ACL/PCL. A repair does not require harvest of graft tissue and may provide a shorter recovery time for the patient. These procedures are done by…

Basics of Rotator cuff CPT code CPT code 23410, 23412, 23420 and 29827 The rotator cuff is a group of muscles in the shoulder that allow a wide range of movement while maintaining the stability of the glenohumeral joint. The rotator cuff includes the following muscles: Subscapularis Infraspinatus Teres minor Supraspinatus A helpful mnemonic to remember these muscles is “SITS“. Rotator cuff tears occur when tendons weaken and pull away from the bone. Acute rotator cuff tears are caused by trauma such as falls on an outstretched hand or throwing…

  Basics of CPT code 23105 & 23106 Definitions: Arthroscopy: Use of an endoscope to examine the interior of a joint (diagnostic) or to perform surgery on joint structures (therapeutic) Arthrotomy: Surgical incision into a joint that may include exploration, drainage, or removal of a foreign body Synovectomy: Removal of the synovial membrane lining of a joint   Diagnosis and Indications for CPT code 23105, 23106, 29820 and 29821 Primary osteoarthritis Rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid myopathy with rheumatoid arthritis Rupture of synovium Shoulder arthritis Synovial hypertrophy Coding guidelines for CPT code…

Basics of Lateral Extracavitary Approach (LECA) Spinal exam The lateral extracavitary approach (LECA) requires resection of the ribs, pleura and/or peritoneum and dissection of spinal/paraspinal tissues to access the vertebral bodies/disc. The advantage of this technique is that it provides the surgeon with access to both the posterior and lateral aspects of the spinal canal through the same incision. Documentation of manipulation of the pleura and/or peritoneum is the clue that a LECA was used. Medical terms used in coding LECA spinal exams: Arthrodesis: Surgical fixation or fusion of a…

Description of CPT code 15771, 15772, 15773 and 15774 Autologous fat grafting may be utilized in many areas of soft tissue augmentation or reconstruction, including congenital defects, contouring of face or breasts, and scarring as a result of burns, radiation, surgical procedures, or trauma. The physician obtains an autologous fat graft by liposuction technique. After identifying the most suitable area of fat harvesting (commonly the abdomen, trochanteric region, or the insides of the thighs and/or knees), the physician makes small incisions in the skin overlying the harvest area. A liposuction…

Basics of Bariatric Surgery CPT codes 43770-43775 Bariatric Surgery codes 43770-43775 also report procedures performed for gastric restrictive procedures that are accomplished by placing a restrictive device around the stomach to decrease its functional size. Code 43770 reports “placement of adjustable gastric restrictive device (e.g., gastric band and subcutaneous port components)” . The band is adjustable because the band is hollow and contains a tube that can be inflated with fluid. After surgery, fluid is gradually inserted into the tube through a subcutaneous port (just beneath the skin) with a…

Basics CPT code 44950, 44960 & 44970 In surgery procedures, their are different techniques used to treat the diseases or diagnosis. Now, the most common are surgeries are performed using laproscopy. Percutaneous surgeries (through the skin) are also one of the techniques used for perfroming angioplasty, thrombectomy, atherectomy procedures. Open surgery is the traditional type of surgery in which an incision is made using a scalpel. In percutaneous  surgery procedure the access to inner organs or other tissue is done via needle-puncture of the skin, rather than by using an “open” approach where…