# Debridement, repair patellar tendon with drilling anterior pole



## twells77 (Dec 3, 2009)

I could use some help coding this open knee surgery.  The op note reads like this:

1 1/2" incision made centered over the inferior pole of the patella and proximal patellar tendon.  Longitudinally, I divided the skin and subq tissue, excised through the prepatellar bursa excising a small portion of this.  Excised longitudinally over the paratendon sheath, gently opened this, exposed the proximal patellar tendon at the insertion at the inferior pole.  I made a longitudinal incision in the patellar tendon over the slight swelling in this area.  Using Loupe magnification, identified the degenerated, scarred and torn undersurface of the patellar tendon.  This was excised sharply with a knife, getting back to what appeared to be normal tendon.  We then used a ronguer to roughen the inferior pole, a small drill bit to drill several drill holes in the inferior pole to allow blood to come into this are.  We irrigated and repaired with inverted O Vicryl sutures the patella tendon deep superficially.  Did a running 2-0 Vicryl, repaired the paratendon sheath with running 2-0 Vicryl, subq tissue with interrupted 2-0 Vicryl, subq tissue with interrupted 2-0 Vicryl and the skin with staples.  

Any suggestions?  He did send Patellar tendon tissue for pathology as well.  The diagnosis is chronic anterior pole patellar tendonitis.

Desperately seeking correct codes....


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