Orthopedic Coding Alert

Question: My orthopedist did an anteromedial tibial tubercle transfer (Fulkerson procedure). Should I report 27705?

Delaware Subscriber

Answer: No. You should report 27418 (Anterior tibial tubercleplasty [e.g., Maquet type procedure]) for the Fulkerson procedure. Although the Fulkerson procedure is technically an osteotomy, 27705 (Osteotomy; tibia) doesn’t describe the work as accurately as 27418 does.

Code 27418 describes osteotomy and transfer of the tibial tubercle (the knob of bone you feel below your kneecap) to correct the weight-bearing position of the patella.