Orthopedic Coding Alert

Question: Our surgeon did the following procedures:

1. Right knee arthroscopic excision of superior patellar bone spur decompression.

2. Major debridement of ganglion cyst intraarticular parapatella superior, debridement of 25% quad tendon tear and excision of posterior patella cyst and scar.

Would 29877 apply to this or do we report it as unlisted?

Florida Subscriber

Answer: If your surgeon does an open procedure for cyst debridement, you report either 27340 (Excision, prepatellar bursa) or 27345 (Excision of synovial cyst of popliteal space [eg, Baker's cyst]).

If however, your surgeon adopts the arthroscopic approach, you turn to option 29875 (Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; synovectomy, limited [eg, plica or shelf resection] [separate procedure]) as it appears that the synovectomy is limited to a single patellofemoral compartment in the knee.

Code 29876 is bundled with 29877 (Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; debridement/shaving of articular cartilage [chondroplasty]). You will need documentation if you intend to bypass the edit.