Orthopedic Coding Alert
Never Miss Any Component in Hand Repair
Question: Our surgeon did repair of the right median nerve, right ulnar nerve and the right ulnar artery. The right palmaris longus was excised and the flexor digitorum superficialis to the right ring finger was also repaired. How do we report these repairs?
Answer: For the repair of the median nerve, you report code 64835 (Suture of 1 nerve; median motor thenar). Similarly, for the repair of the right ulnar nerve, you report 64836 (Suture of 1 nerve; ulnar motor).
Depending upon the location of repair of the flexor digitorum superficialis, you may report 26356 (Repair or advancement, flexor tendon, in zone 2 digital flexor tendon sheath [e.g., no man’s land]; primary, without free graft, each tendon) or 26350 (Repair or advancement, flexor tendon, not in zone 2 digital flexor tendon sheath [e.g., no man’s land]; primary or secondary without free graft, each tendon).
You report excision of the Palmaris longus with 26170 (Excision of tendon, palm, flexor or extensor, single, each tendon) or 26180 (Excision of tendon, finger, flexor or extensor, each tendon) and arterial repair with 35207 (Repair blood vessel, direct; hand, finger).
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Orthopedic Coding Alert
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