Surgery: Musculoskeletal System (Q&A) (September 2012)
September 2012 page 16a
Surgery: Musculoskeletal System
Question: Doctor Jones places deep hardware (anchors) and some Kirschner-wires (K-wires) for fracture treatment of carpal bones. Doctor Smith from a different practice evaluates the patient's now severely displaced, nonunion fracture with instability. Surgery is performed to stabilize and repair the nonunion wherein Doctor Smith must remove the previously placed hardware. May the removal of hardware be separately reported with code 20680?
Answer: Yes. It is appropriate for Doctor Smith to report code 20680, Removal of implant; deep (eg, buried wire, pin, screw, metal band, nail, rod or plate). In addition, the...
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