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2018 CPC Practice Exam Answer Key 150 Questions With Full Rationale (HCPCS, ICD-9-CM, ICD-10, CPT Codes) Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions with Full Rationale Answers

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Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions and answers with full rationale

antibiotic spacers

Hello folks,

Does anyone know the protocol for coding the resection of the femoral head with insertion of antibiotic spacer.
My peer asked me for advice…and I am asking you all…the provider documents he anticipates a prolonged course with eventual hope for resection and reimplantation of final components.

We are thinking either the arthroplasty with -52 then arthroplasty again with -58 when return -or- femoral head resection and wait to see if return for completion?

Thanks

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Left Shoulder Resection Arthroplasty with Placement Antibiotic Spacer

Post op DX: Septic Arthritis LT Shoulder with chronic anterior shoulder dislocation & glenoid fracture malunion
Pt. has history of septic arthritis LT shoulder that was addressed with irrigation & debridement in July by another surgeon. They have a previous history of fractures about the shoulder including the acromion, glenoid & coracoid. These have resulted in fracture malunion with chronic anterior shoulder dislocation & now recurrent suspicious infection. Op Note: Incision made anteriorly over the shoulder through a standard deltopectoral approach. I was unable to use the previous transverse space surgical scar. The deltopectoral interval was identified & also the cephalic vein & this was preserved throughout the entirety of the procedure retracting it laterally with the deltoid. There was significant scar tissue from her previous surgery & secondary chronic infection. I released the proximal 1 cm of pectoralis major insertion as well as the leading edge of the coracoacromial ligament to facilitate exposure. I identified the biceps tendon & its sheath & began to resect & reflect the subscapularis & underlying capsule just medial to this. I opened it through the rotator interval, exposing the humeral head. Red tinged & slightly turbid synovial fluid was identified. I sent specimens for analysis. The shoulder joint was identified & revealed extensive erosive changes about the humeral head with reciprocal changes about the glenoid consistent with advanced septic osteoarthritis. The rotator cuff was noted to be completely torn & retracted. The humeral head was noted to be chronically anterior dislocated. I released the inferior capsule to facilitate further extraction of the humeral head with combination of adduction, flexion & external rotation & the head was completely dislocated. I then identified a starting point for entry of reamer. I progressively reamed up to 12 mm. I then used the extramedullary alignment guide to fashion a resection of the humeral head in 30 degrees of retroversion using the humeral epicondylar axis & the forearm as a guide. I resected approximately 25 mm of the native humeral head. I removed extensive foul appearing tissue from the metaphysis. I prepared the humerus with broaches up to size 12 & 30 degrees of retroversion. I then assessed the glenoid. There was chronic malunion of the glenoid with significant loss of the anterior substance of the glenoid which would make it unreasonable to try to resurface in the future. I did try to ram down the glenoid using the glenoid reamers & a guide pin & what I thought was the central aspect of the scapula. I did remove foul appearing tissue that surrounded the growth glenoid in particular over the anterior aspect which is felt to be residual hypertrophic scar tissue from the fracture. I thoroughly irrigated the glenoid & humerus with antibiotic irrigation. I prepared the size 12 Prostalac implant. Once the prostalac stem was prepared & hardened it was removed from its casing. The stem was place in appropriate retroversion in the humeral canal. The wound was irrigated & closed. I repaired the capsule & subscapularis to the humeral shaft & repaired the deltopectoral interval. Need help with how to code-Unlisted or 23470 or 23472 & 11981?

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Cold weather and drug resistance; tracking seasonal changes in antibiotic misuse

This March, a team of experts working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a study on antibiotic prescription habits in outpatient facilities. The study, published in the Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology journal, showed that there are seasonal trends in prescriptions, with most antibiotics prescribed during winter months. 

HCPro.com – Briefings on Accreditation and Quality

Removal Acetabular Cup w/ Insertion Antibiotic Spacer

My provider performed a removal of the acetabular cup with placement of an antibiotic eluting spacer. The only code that I can come up with is 27091. Is this code only used when the total hip prosthesis is removed? If so, should I code it as 27091-52 since he only removed the acetabular component?

Using the patient’s prior incision, incision was made proximally and laterally to the wound. The wound VAC was removed. There was a large amount of tissue debridement that was performed to the subcutaneous tissue area, as well as the IT band. The vastus lateralis and the gluteus medius were split using a modified Hardinge approach after which time the hip was dislocated and the ceramic head of the implant was removed, followed by insertion of a slap hammer to the femoral implant, which attempted removal was performed with a slap hammer. Stem was found to be fixed in place with no evidence of any loosening, after which time the cup was then assessed and the liner was removed. Posterior to the liner, there was a small amount of fluid which was taken for culture and sensitivity and sent for analysis to Pathology. The decision was made to remove the acetabular cup. One screw was removed followed by removal of the acetabular cup and placement of an antibiotic eluting spacer. Copious irrigation was performed with approximately 12 liters of normal saline, Betadine, as well as irrigant fluid.

Medical Billing and Coding Forum