• If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ & read the forum rules. To view all forums, post or create a new thread, you must be an AAPC Member. If you are a member and have already registered for member area and forum access, you can log in by clicking here. If you've forgotten the password it can be reset on our sign in section by entering your registered Email Address or Username here. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below..

Wiki 27427 Which ligamens are intra-articular and which are extra-articular?

Create Wiki
O

Orthocoderpgu

True Blue
Messages
2,122
Location
Salt Lake City, UT
Best answers
9
Does anyone know which ligaments are intra-articular & which are extra-articular? That would help in choosing 27427, 27428 & 27429.
 
Orthocoderpgu said:
Does anyone know which ligaments are intra-articular & which are extra-articular? That would help in choosing 27427, 27428 & 27429.
Click to expand...

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) & Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) have a central location inside the joint (intraarticular) while the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) & Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) are located on the inner and outer sides of the knee joint (extra-articular).
 
Unfortunately, it's not always that straight forward.

While the ligament is a good starting point, you must also take into consideration the type of repair being performed. I've copied a piece of a CPT assistant below to give you an example.

Sometimes, when repairing an ACL, the surgeon may chose to combine an intra-articular repair (ie, bone-patella-bone) with an extra-articular repair (ie, hamstrings). In that case code 27429, Ligamentous reconstruction (augmentation), knee; intra-articular, (open) and extra-articular,is the correct code to report.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top