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Orthopedic Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Chrisman-Snook Warrants 27698

Published on Fri Jun 11, 2004

Question: Our orthopedist documented a "Chrisman-Snook Lateral Ankle Reconstruction." He also said that he harvested a tendon for this procedure and noted ankle instability and ankle pain as the diagnoses. Which CPT code should we report? New Mexico Subscriber Answer: You should report 27698 (Repair, secondary, disrupted ligament, ankle, collateral [e.g., Watson-Jones procedure]) for this surgery. Orthopedic surgeons perform the Chrisman-Snook operation to replace damaged ligaments on the outer (lateral) side of the ankle. The surgeon brings the peroneous brevis graft through the fibula from anterior to posterior to reconstruct the anterior talofibular ligament. He then brings it posteriorly and inferiorly to the calcaneus to reconstruct the calcaneofibular ligament.
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