Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert
Focus on Hammertoe Treatment Options
Question: I’m new to podiatry and trying to learn more about hammertoe treatment. Can you please tell me which codes I have to choose for this procedure? North Carolina Subscriber Answer: Conservative treatment options for hammertoe include an orthotic device to regulate muscle imbalance, a splint to realign the toe, wearing more comfortable shoes, and taking NSAIDS to relieve the pain. Surgery: To fix hammertoe permanently, the patient will need surgery. During a hammertoe correction surgery, the surgeon will roughen up the cartilage on the base of the middle phalanx to promote arthrofibrosis, and the complex is then straightened and fixed with a K-wire. CPT® code: When your podiatrist performs a flexible or rigid hammertoe correction, you can report this procedure with 28285 (Correction, hammertoe [e.g., interphalangeal fusion, partial or total phalangectomy]).
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