ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert

Question: When reporting fracture care, what's the difference between reduction and manipulation of a bone?

Georgia Subscriber

Answer: According to CPT, "manipulation is used throughout the musculoskeletal fracture and dislocation subsections to specifically mean the attempted reduction or restoration of a fracture or joint dislocation to its normal anatomic alignment by the application of manually applied forces." Stedman's Medical Dictionary more loosely defines reduction, calling it "repositioning of a part to its normal anatomical relation."

That means the two terms are interchangeable. Whichever your physician documents, he repositioned the bone to attempt to return it to its correct alignment.