Wiki Total knee arthroplasty question

[sjmilward]

Good morning! I work in an orthropaedics office and have come across a surgery that I am not sure how to code. The surgeon's description is: "Right total knee arthroplasty complex revision, extensive synovectomy, explantation of old total knee arthroplasty components, cultures including tissue culture procurement and new total knee arthroplasty component implantation." I am not sure if I just bill the total knee 27447 and all of this is included, or if their were other codes needed. Thanks in advance for your help!!

 

[thomas7331]

Since it is a revision it's going to be coded with 27487, not 27447 (I'm assuming both femoral and tibial components are replaced). Without the operative report, it's hard to say if anything else can be billed, but the explantation of the old components, the cultures, and the synovectomy are all inclusive to the main procedure and not separately billed.

 

[sjmilward]

Since it is a revision it's going to be coded with 27487, not 27447 (I'm assuming both femoral and tibial components are replaced). Without the operative report, it's hard to say if anything else can be billed, but the explantation of the old components, the cultures, and the synovectomy are all inclusive to the main procedure and not separately billed.

Thank you!!