Advanced Search

Orthopedic Coding Alert

Tools:

Brush Up On These Ortho Acronyms to Decipher Operative Reports

Published on Thu Jan 27, 2011

Use these tips to better translate abbreviations into codes.Do you know your APL from your ACL? If not, you may need a crash course on orthopedic acronyms. If you can't differentiate between the abbreviations in your surgeon's chart, you could be applying the wrong codes to your claims.Because orthopedic coders encounter various acronyms when reading, coding and evaluating medical charts, we take for granted that we can decipher most of the abbreviations and acronyms that we come across. But even the most experienced orthopedic coder can benefit from a primer that outlines the most common abbreviations.Review the following four examples and see if you can figure out what the surgeon did:1. Repaired EPB, APL, BR, FDS ring, FDS long, PL and FPL tendons.2. 85 y.o. est. pt. requires THR for AVN.3. CTR for dx of adv. CTS on 65 y.o. new pt.4. PLIF at L5-S1.The solutions: Translated into real-world terminology, [...]
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in Revenue Cycle Insider
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more

Other Articles in this issue of

Orthopedic Coding Alert

View All

Which Codify by AAPC tool is right for you?

Call 844-334-2816 to speak with a Codify by AAPC specialist now.