Wiki acute or chronic

[LTibbetts]

How do decide between an acute or chronic rotator cuff repair? I have a pt with a time of 3 months of problems with her shoulder. The physician claimed that there was degenerative changes in the joint due to her rheumatoid disease but it does not appear to be end-stage disease in the shoulder. This would be acute, right?
Also, if while in there the physician notices 2 osteophytes and removes them with the osteome, that is included in the repair codes, correct?

 

[mbort]

thats an open can of worms!! lol

Per some of the documentation I have from seminars and such, if the patient has undergone conservative treatment and then requires repair, it is chronic. If the patient has a RCT tear and the doc schedules surgery, its acute.

Good Luck with this one!!
Mary