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Anesthesia Coding Alert

Reader Question:

ACL Surgery

Published on Fri Feb 01, 2002

Question: Which CPT Codes and corresponding anesthesia codes should I use for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery when all but the patella tendon harvest is performed arthroscopically? I harvest the patients own patella tendon and do not invade the joint. Also, the physician debrides the ACL prior to inserting the graft.

Nevada Subscriber  
Answer: For the anesthesia provider, arthroscopically assisted ACL repair or reconstruction would be coded using the surgical CPT code 29888 (arthroscopically aided anterior cruciate ligament repair/augmentation or reconstruction) and the associated anesthesia code 01382 (anesthesia for arthroscopic procedures of knee joint).

Code 01382 has a base value of three units plus time units. Debridement is inclusive in this procedure. The anesthesiologist would not bill separately for the tendon graft harvest because the time units for the complete repair would be included with 01382.
 
If the ACL surgery involved open procedures, 27407 (repair, primary, torn ligament and/or capsule, knee; cruciate) would be appropriate. The corresponding anesthesia code is 01320 (anesthesia for all procedures on nerves, muscles, tendons, fascia, and bursae of knee and/or popliteal area), which has a base value of four units plus time units.
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