Wiki Documentation to Support 29822 ?

[Jody Mortensen]

Procedure decription: Diagnostic arthroscopy revealed some undersurface fraying of the rotator cuff tendon. The labrum & biceps tendon were normal in their appearance. Under direct vision through the safe triangle anteriorly, untilizing the inside-out technique, an anterior portal was created and the undersurface of the rotator cuff tendon was debrided where there was fraying. Once that was completed the anterior portal was abandoned & the scope place in the posterior position & I then moved into the subacromial space.
The surgeon then went onto perform an acromioplasty. My question concerns the debridement of the fraying of the rotator cuff tendon. Would the documentation support 29822-59 with the 29826 for the acromioplasty? Is there specific criteria for how much is debrided? I looked on the AAOS site & this site & can only find information that states 29822 can be used for limited labral debridement, cuff debridement, or the removal of ostephytes & degenerative cartilage.
Thank you in advance for you help.

Jody Hecht

 

[mbort]

There is currently no criteria that I know of either. However I do like a little more documentation like " and the undersurface of the rotator cuff tendon was debrided where there was fraying utilizing a blanketeblank shaver until the surface was free of frayed edges"

I like for them to tell me what they used and the appearance afterwards. Granted, this is not always the case, but it sure is helpful.

 

[Jody Mortensen]

Thank you

Thank you Mary, you are wonderful