25400 without graft vs 25405 with autograft

[MMadrigal]

OP NOTE: ORIF & repair of the nonunion with local grafting. .....previous incision was opened, compression plate was removed. The nonunion was identified, the osteophytes removed, edges made parallel with a small saw, a 6 hole LCDC plate was contoured, fx held in compression, the local bone graft was placed around the nonunion, irrigation carried out....

My question is, does the autograft count if it was collected locally, ie the osteophytes from the same incision, or do you only code the 25405 if the autograft was collected from a different body site or incision?

Thanks in advance for any feedback, comments, etc. Mary MMadrigal@hawaii.rr.com

[MMadrigal]

101 people viewed, but no responce?

[jmcpolin]

The description states physician must create an incision over the harvest site, is he doing a separate incision?

[MMadrigal]

Thank you Jennifer, so much! No seperate incision on this one. He's using the osteophytes he removed as the graft. Mary

[jmcpolin]

You betcha, hey what is your picture of? Is that a bird?

[MMadrigal]

It is a nestling java finch. I do wild bird rehab for a living, and medical insurance billing to pay the bills Thank you again for your feedfback. Mary