# Anterior labral repair



## iowagirl77 (Feb 8, 2018)

I've searched high and low for an answer without luck. I know the shoulder labrum/capsule is split into superior and inferior in order to bill 29807 or 29806. However, it is rarely cut and dry as to which area it is in. I often see tears that cross over and/or are not designated as SLAP tears. SLAP tears have to be in the anterior AND posterior part of the superior labrum, correct? Not just superior anterior or superior posterior? From the references I can find, 29807 can only be used for SLAP tears. Does that automatically mean repair of the labrum for anything but SLAP tears will be coded as 29806 for capsule repair? My providers are not in the habit of stating what type of SLAP it is when there is one, which makes it even more difficult.

For example, I'm looking at a surgery the provider listed as labral repair for an anterior tear that goes from 1:30 to 6:00. Would it actually be a capsule repair because it doesn't extend to the superior posterior?

Thanks!


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## daedolos (Feb 8, 2018)

There are grades of tearing that this article explains very well.  Currently, ICD-10-CM doesn't have a thorough codeset for the shades of injury that happen frequently.  They do differentiate on AC joint injuries but for most injuries there is just the one code to cover the multiple gradations of a particular injury.  I would think if the surgeon noted an anterior tear and how far it extended through the glenoid labrum that qualifies for a SLAP tear.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SLAP_tear

Peace
@_*
Hope this helps.


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## Orthocoderpgu (Feb 9, 2018)

*Labral tears*

Dr. William Beach, MD  created these codes. His intent was to divide the shoulder into an upper and lower part. Any work on the upper half is 29807 and lower is 29806. In this case the tear is in both and per the edits code 29806 is billed in this case. Physician education is important in these. They should state if it's a type one or two SLAP. Best when they give the clocking position for the anchors as this helps to know which tear is being repaired.


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## daedolos (Feb 9, 2018)

Orthocoderpgu said:


> Dr. William Beach, MD  created these codes. His intent was to divide the shoulder into an upper and lower part. Any work on the upper half is 29807 and lower is 29806. In this case the tear is in both and per the edits code 29806 is billed in this case. Physician education is important in these. They should state if it's a type one or two SLAP. Best when they give the clocking position for the anchors as this helps to know which tear is being repaired.



Just curious, sir.  Does WHO have one or multiple specialists evaluate each chapter's codesets every year?  I wonder why things such as bilateral shoulder primary osteoarthritis and laterality for de Quervain tenosynovitis don't exist.

Peace
?_?


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## sxcoder1 (Feb 9, 2018)

I agree with 29806


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