Orthopedic Coding Alert

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Question: Should we report G0289 (Arthroscopy, knee, surgical, for removal of loose body, foreign body, debridement/shaving of articular cartilage [chondroplas-ty] at the time of other surgical knee arthroscopy in a different compartment of the same knee) if we perform multiple chondroplasties in the knee at the same time as a meniscectomy? Ohio Subscriber

Answer: You can report multiple chondroplasties as long as the surgeon performed the main procedure (in your case, a meniscectomy) in a separate compartment of the knee.

If the orthopedist performs a medial meniscectomy, and lateral and patellar chondroplasties, you should report 29881 (Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; with meniscectomy [medial OR lateral, including any meniscal shaving]) once, followed by two units of G0289 (Arthroscopy, knee, surgical, for removal of loose body, foreign body, debridement/shaving of articu-lar cartilage [chondroplasty] at the time of other surgical knee arthroscopy in a different compartment of the same knee).