Question: How should we report conversion of a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for a patient who underwent a previous high tibial osteotomy? Kansas Subscriber
Answer: CPT does not include any codes for TKA conversion, so your best bet is to submit 27447 (Arthro-plasty, knee, condyle and plateau; medial AND lateral compartments with or without patella resurfacing [total knee arthroplasty]) with modifier -22 (Unusual procedural services) appended. Include a letter with your claim explaining how your procedure differed from a standard TKA and why.