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Orthopedic Coding Alert

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Hardware Removal is Inclusive of Debridement and Irrigation

Published on Fri Dec 14, 2012

Question: In a patient who was diagnosed with a finger infection ten days after open reduction and percutaneous pinning of right middle finger distal phalanx open fracture, our surgeon did the following procedures: Irrigation and debridement of right middle fingertip infection, including debridement down to bone. Hardware removal, right middle finger, including removal of K-wire. Nail bed repair. Right middle finger digital block for intraoperative and postoperative analgesia. How do we report this? Rhode Island Subscriber Answer: You report codes 20670 (Removal of implant; superficial [e.g., buried wire, pin or rod [separate procedure]) 20680 (Removal of implant; deep [e.g., buried wire, pin, screw, metal band, nail, rod or plate]) F7 for the removal of hardware in the right middle finger, depending upon whether the hardware was superficial or deep. In most instances, pins in the finger are superficial and pretty easy to remove, particularly in the face of an infection. The [...]
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