CPT Knowledgebase - Mar 26, 2014

For some complicated fractures, a temporary external fixator is used to aid in fracture reduction. In this scenario a physician will place an external fixator, proceed with open reduction internal fixation (ORIF), and then remove the external fixator at the end of the procedure. For those codes where external fixation is not included in the code description (ie, code 27828), is it appropriate to report the placement of the fixator even if it is removed at the end of the case, or should its placement be considered integral to the procedure and only reported when it is left on at the end of the case?

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