Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Question: What CPT should I use for peroneus brevis tendon exploration and repair on the left foot? The patient presented to the office with torn peroneus brevis tendon of ankle.

Answer: Since the podiatrist repaired only one flexor tendon, you should bill 28200 (Repair, tendon, flexor, foot; primary or secondary, without free graft, each tendon). Because the physician performed the procedure on the left foot, you should append modifier LT to 28200.

However, if the physician's notes indicated "repair of peroneus brevis and peroneus longus tendons, left foot," you would use bill 28200 twice to indicate that two tendons were repaired. q

For percutaneous pinning of the great toe -- proximal and/or distal phalanx (phalanges) of the great toe -- you should use 28496 (Percutaneous skeletal fixation of fracture great toe, phalanx or phalanges, with manipulation).