Wiki Open excision distal patellar beaking CPT

[sxcoder1]

Doctor performed "open excision of distal patellar beaking and degenerative tendon debridement". He used a rongeur to remove the patellar spurring and a rasp to smooth the area. He says 27350 but I'm not sure about that. I'm already coding 29881 since he did an arthroscopic meniscectomy. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[AlanPechacek]

Patellar "Excision" Procedure

Some people have elongated patellas, particularly the lower/distal pole. If your surgeon removed a significant portion of the lower patella, let's say about a centimeter or more, along with debriding the inflamed patellar tendon, then 27350 (partial patellectomy) would be correct. If all he did was nibble off the very tip of it (a spur or an exostosis), then that would be more of an Exostectomy, and 27350 would be a bit of a stretch. Unfortunately, I can't find a good code for Exostectomy of the Patella, nor for the Debridement of the Patellar Tendonitis ("inflamed tissue"). My best "guess" is that the patient had "Jumper's Knee" (Patellar Tendonitis). The arthroscopic partial meniscectomy would be a separate procedure, with the appropriate Modifiers attached to one procedure or the other.

I hope this helps.

Respectfully submitted, Alan Pechacek, M.D.

 

[sxcoder1]

That was very helpful. Thank you!