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Orthopedic Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Apply Dupuytren's Codes to PIP Pinning

Published on Wed Apr 28, 2010

Question: The surgeon completed multiple fasciotomies on the patient's right hand and pinned the PIP (proximal interphalangeal) joint of two fingers to maintain extension. How should we code the pinning since the surgeon did this because of severe Dupuytren contractures instead of fractures?Oregon SubscriberAnswer: Code the procedure as you would any other Dupuytren procedure: report 26123 (Fasciectomy, partial palmar with release of single digit including proximal interphalangeal joint, with or without Z-plasty, other local tissue rearrangement, or skin grafting [includes obtaining graft]) for the first finger and +26125 (... each additional digit [List separately in addition to code for primary procedure]) for the second. You won't code separately for the pinning, as it's included in the overall procedure.
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