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Orthopedic Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Report Multiple Units of 28485 for Lisfranc Injury

Published on Fri Dec 14, 2012

Question: In a patient diagnosed with Lisfranc injury in the left foot, the following procedures were done: 1. ORIF of right foot Lisfranc injury and fracture;
2. ORIF of first tarsometarsal joint;
3. Closed reduction and perc pinning of third tarsometatarsal joint; and
4. Removal of pins x 3 through separate incisions. How do we report these procedures? Alaska Subscriber Answer: Lisfranc injury is the displacement of one or more metatarsals from the tarsus, often accompanied by a fracture of the base on one of the metatarsals, usually the second. When reporting Lisfranc repair, you need to report repair of each metatarsal bone or tarsometatarsal joint as one unit. For ORIF of the first tarsometatarsal joint, you report code 28615 (Open treatment of tarsometatarsal joint dislocation, includes internal fixation, when performed). It isn’t clear if the surgeon repaired the 2nd tarsometatarsal joint, metatarsal joint, or both. [...]
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