CPT Assistant, June 2011 Page: 13
Surgery: Musculoskeletal System
Question:
Is it appropriate to report CPT codes 26040 and 26045 more than once per hand during the same surgical session? If these codes can be reported more than once per hand, can the codes be reported once per finger affected?
Answer:
Code 26040, Fasciotomy, palmar (eg, Dupuytren’s contracture); percutaneous, is reported for a palmar percutaneous fasciotomy. This code is be reported only once per hand. Procedurally, multiple fascial releases in the fingers could result in severing the digital nerves and probably would not be performed. Code 26045 would also not be reported multiple times per hand for the same reason. If a palmar fasciectomy is performed to include the fingers, a code from the 26121-26125 series would be reported instead of CPT code 26045.