1. MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
CHAPTER 19
MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
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2. Musculoskeletal System
Subsection divided: Anatomic site (Forearm and Wrist), then service (e.g., excision)
Used extensively by orthopedic surgeons
Many codes commonly used by variety of physicians
Extensive notes
(Cont’d…)
• Subsections reflect anatomical sites. Within each anatomical site, subheadings reflect the procedures performed.
• Many musculoskeletal codes, such as those used for splinting, casting, and fracture repair procedures, are also used by primary care and family practice physicians.
• This section of the CPT includes many notes. Why is it important to carefully review these notes? (Notes tell you how to use the information to identify any qualifying conditions.)
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3. Musculoskeletal System
(…Cont’d)
Most common:
Fracture and dislocation treatments
“General” subheading
Arthroscopic procedures
Casting and strapping
• What types of procedures are listed under the General subheading? (Miscellaneous procedures not specific to an anatomical site, i.e., incisions of soft tissue abscesses, wound exploration, or biopsies of muscle and bone tissue)
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4. Fractures Questions to ask: Site of fracture or dislocation
Type of treatment (open, closed)
Manipulation performed and documented
Was traction used; if so, what type
Was percutaneous fixation used
Was internal fixation applied (make sure this is not included in code description)
Was an external fixation system applied
Did documentation support skin closure
What type of anesthesia was used

5. Fracture Treatment
Open: Surgically opened to view or remotely opened to place nail across fracture
Open reduction with internal fixation (ORIF)
Closed treatment, fracture site is not exposed by surgical incision
Percutaneous, neither open or closed. Fixation devices (such as pins) are placed across the fracture site under imaging
Treatment terms not to be confused with type of fracture
Open fracture: Bone penetrates skin
Closed fracture: Bone does not penetrate skin
• Fractures are coded by treatment, which may be open, closed, or percutaneous.
• How do the three types of fracture treatment differ? (Typically, open and percutaneous treatments require surgical intervention, whereas closed treatment many times can be completed without taking the patient to the surgery suite.)
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6. Fracture Treatment
Type of treatment depends on type and severity of fracture
“Complicated” in a code descriptor may indicate excessive hemorrhage, infection, prolonged physician work, or difficulty in reaching the site or depth of the site.
• Which type of fracture treatment would most likely be used for a greenstick fracture? (A closed procedure)
• For an open fracture? (An open procedure)
• What about for other types? (Treatment depends on the type and severity of the fracture.)
Figure: 19.1
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7. Traction Application of force to align bone Figure: 19.4
• The application of pulling force to bring a bone into alignment and hold it there is called traction.
• Would traction be used with an open or a closed repair? Why? (With a closed repair, because it is the only option; in an open repair, the bones may be brought into alignment directly, and internal devices can hold them in alignment.)
Figure: 19.4
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8. Skeletal Traction
Use of force (distracting or traction force) applied to internal device (e.g., wire, pin, screw, or clamp) inserted into bone
• There are two types of traction—skeletal and skin.
• With skeletal traction, internal devices such as pins, screws, or wires are inserted directly into the bone through the skin.
• The protruding ends attach to traction devices that use weights and pulleys to hold the bone in place.
• Does skeletal traction require an open procedure? (No. The internal devices are inserted through the skin.)
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9. Skin Traction Application of force by means of adhesion to skin
Figure: 19.6
• When skin traction is used, devices are attached to strapping wraps or tapes that are placed around the limb. Force is applied by means of adhesion to the skin.
• Why is skin traction less stable than skeletal traction? (Because the force is applied less directly)
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10. Manipulation
Use of force to return a fractured bone to normal alignment
Fracture repair codes are often divided based on whether manipulation was or was not used
AKA: Reduction
Manipulation means a fracture has been reduced
• Manipulation is a reduction, which is an attempt to maneuver the bone back into proper alignment by bending, rotating, pulling, or guiding the bone.
• Separate codes are provided for fracture repairs with and without manipulation.
• Is manipulation always required for fracture repair? (Not always. In a simple greenstick fracture, manipulation may not be needed because the bones are not misaligned.)
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11. Fracture Term
Fractures are described by a physician in terms of the direction of the fracture line (horizontal, vertical, oblique, spiral), and the direction and degree of angulation (the most distal fragment)
When the fracture results in more than two fragments, it is comminuted

12. Vertebral dislocation/ Subglenoid dislocation
Bone displaced from normal joint position
Treatment: Return bone to normal joint location
• What is the difference between a fracture and a dislocation? (With a fracture, the bone is broken. With a dislocation, the bone is displaced from the normal joint position but is not broken.)
• How is a dislocation treated? (By moving the bone back to the correct position)
Figure: 19.7
From Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary, ed 31, Philadelphia, 2007, Saunders.
Vertebral dislocation/ Subglenoid dislocation
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13. Subheading “General” (20005-20999)
Begins “Incision”
Depth: Difference between Integumentary and Musculoskeletal incision codes
Musculoskeletal used when underlying bone or muscle is involved
• The General subheading contains codes for procedures that are not associated with a particular anatomical region.
• The first codes in this section deal with incision treatments.
• When should Integumentary Incision codes be used instead of Musculoskeletal codes? (Integumentary codes: for superficial incisions; musculoskeletal codes: for involvement of underlying bone or muscle)
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14. General Subheading, Wound Exploration (20100-20103)
Traumatic penetrating wounds
Divided on wound location (body site)
Includes
Enlargement
Debridement
Foreign body(ies) removal
Ligation
Repair of tissue and muscle
• Wound exploration codes are used for the treatment of traumatic, penetrating wounds.
• These codes include wound enlargement and exploration, debridement, foreign body removal, ligation, and tissue repair.
• How are wound exploration codes organized? (By location of the wound)
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15. General Subheading, Wound Exploration (20100-20103)
(…Cont’d)
These procedures describe surgical exploration to an already open wound
These codes are “separate procedure” codes
They can be coded and reported in the following circumstances:
If only procedure performed
If totally unrelated to another procedure performed at the same session

16. Biopsy Located in Excision subheading (20200-20251)
Biopsies for bone and muscle
Divided by:
Type of biopsy (bone/muscle)
Depth
Some by method
(Cont’d…)
• Codes for biopsies of muscles and bones are listed under Excision under the General subheading.
• These biopsy codes are further subdivided according to type (muscle or bone), depth (superficial or deep), and, in some cases, method used.
• Do biopsy codes include the pathology workup that follows the procedure? (No, this is coded under Pathology.)
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17. Biopsy Can be percutaneous needle or excisional
(…Cont’d)
Can be percutaneous needle or excisional
Coded separately
If lesion is excised and biopsied, only the excision can be billed
If biopsy taken on one day and based on the results an excision was performed, modifier -58 may be appropriate on excision code
• What is the key difference between percutaneous and excisional biopsy? (Percutaneous: open; Excisional: closed)
• Describe how each type is performed.
• Describe how coding may reflect several components of the procedure.
• With a percutaneous biopsy, the surgeon may require use of ultrasonic guidance with or without a radiologist, if the biopsy is sufficiently complicated.
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18. Introduction or Removal (20500-20697)
Within “General” subheading
Codes for:
Injections
Aspirations
Insertions
Applications
Removals
Adjustments
(Cont’d…)
• The Introduction or Removal category includes codes for a wide variety of injections, aspirations, insertions, applications, removals, and adjustments.
• In what section of the CPT are these codes found? (Musculoskeletal)
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19. Introduction or Removal (20500-20697)
(…Cont’d)
Therapeutic Sinus Tract Injection Procedures:
Not nasal sinus
Abscess or cyst with a passage (sinus tract) to skin
Antibiotic injected with use of radiographic guidance
(Cont’d…)
• The term sinus describes a fistula that leads away from a pus-filled cavity (as well as the air-filled cavities in the bones of the skull).
• Sinus tract injection procedure codes are used for the treatment of an abscess or cyst through injection of an antibiotic or other substance into the infected sinus via the sinus tract.
• How does the use of radiographic guidance affect coding? (Coded separately)
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20. Introduction or Removal (20500-20697)
(…Cont’d)
Removal: foreign bodies lodged in muscle or tendon sheath
Integumentary removal codes for removal from skin
(Cont’d…)
• How do the removal procedure codes for Musculoskeletal and Integumentary differ? (Musculoskeletal removal codes are used when foreign bodies are lodged in muscle tissue. Integumentary removal codes are used when foreign bodies are lodged in the skin.)
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21. Introduction or Removal (20500-20697)
(…Cont’d)
Injection: Into tendon sheath, ligament, or ganglion cyst, trigger joint
Arthrocentesis: Injection “and/or” aspiration of a joint
Both an aspiration and injection are reported with one code
• These injections distinguish between injections made into tendons, ligaments, trigger points, and ganglion cysts and those made into joints.
• Arthrocentesis codes are used for injection into and/or the aspiration of a joint.
• When arthrocentesis involves both injection and aspiration, how should it be coded? (Use the same code for both done at the same time, or for each done separately.)
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22. Arthrocentesis ( )
Local anesthesia is integral to these codes and should not be reported
Report the drug separately with a “J” code
HCPCS modifiers used to report specific digits: “FA to F9” or “TA to T9”

23. External Fixation (20690, 20692)
Application of a device that holds bone in place
These codes include the removal of the fixator
If it is necessary to adjust or revise an external fixator see Code describes removal under anesthesia and includes imaging
(Cont’d…)
• External fixation is a closed procedure that involves the application of devices outside the body that hold a bone in place.
• Used primarily to treat limb fracture, major pelvic disruption, osteotomy, arthrodesis, bone infection, and bone lengthening.
• Compare with internal fixation: Bones are held together by screws, wires, pins, etc., placed within the bone itself; an open procedure.
Figure: 19.13A
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24. External Fixation (20690, 20692)
(…Cont’d)
Uniplane—pins or wires in one plane (flat, smooth surface)
Multiplane—requires complex adjustments and correction in alignment. Bedside adjustments are not separately billed
Code fracture treatment and external fixation
Unless treatment and fixation are both included in code description
• How should fracture treatment be coded when external fixation is also done? (External fixation is coded separately in addition to the fracture treatment code.)
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25. Grafts (or Implants) (20900-20938)
Used to report harvesting through separate incision of:
Bone
Cartilage
Fascia lata
Tissue
Involve “morselized” or “structural” bone taken from a donor (allograph) or from the patient (autograph)
Morselized—small pieces of bone
Structural—a segment of bone machined into the space
Report only one bone graft code per operative session
(Cont’d…)
• Graft procedures involve harvesting bone, cartilage, fascia lata, tendon, or tissue through an incision separate from that used to implant the graft.
• Graft material is used in a wide variety of repair procedures. For example, if a tibial fracture fails to heal within 20 weeks, the surgeon may decide to use bone grafting.
• From where is graft material obtained? (From the patient or a donor)
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26. Grafts (or Implants) (20900-20938)
(…Cont’d)
Fascia lata grafts: From mid-upper thigh where fascia is thickest
Some codes include obtaining grafting material
Then not coded separately
Composite grafts involve combinations of autogenous material and allograft or alloplast
• Fascia is fibrous connective tissue. It may be shaved off with a stripper or cut away. Codes for fascia lata grafts differentiate the method by which the graft material was obtained.
• Some graft codes bundle together procedures; others do not. How should a graft procedure be coded?
When the codes bundle in obtaining and implanting the graft material, the appropriate bundled code should be used.
When obtaining and implanting the graft are not bundled for a particular procedural type, then both procedures should be reported with the use of separate codes.
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27. Other Procedures ( )
Monitoring muscle fluid pressure (interstitial)
Pressure increases when blood supply decreases due to increased accumulation of fluids
(Cont’d…)
• The Other Procedures subheading includes codes for monitoring muscles, bone grafting with microvascular technique, free osteocutaneous flaps with microvascular technique, and electronic/ultrasound stimulation.
• Why is fluid pressure in the muscle monitored?
Elevated fluid pressure indicates that the muscle is not receiving sufficient blood supply because of fluid accumulation. This condition must be treated to preserve the muscle, which otherwise would deteriorate.
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28. Other Procedures ( )
(…Cont’d)
Bone grafts are identified by site they are taken from (donor site)
Free osteocutaneous flaps: bone grafts
Taken along with skin and tissue overlying bone
(Cont’d…)
• Bone grafting involves removing a piece of bone with blood vessels left intact. The graft is inserted and the blood vessels from the graft are attached with the use of an operating microscope.
• How do the codes for grafts in the Other Procedures category differ from those in the Grafts/Implants category? (Codes in the Other Procedures category are used for grafts that include skin, blood vessels, and muscle as part of the graft.)
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29. Other Procedures (20950-20999) Electrical or ultrasound stimulation
(…Cont’d)
Electrical or ultrasound stimulation
Used to speed bone healing
Placement of stimulators externally or internally
Often used in treatment of fractures
• When is electrical stimulation used?
When a repaired fracture fails to heal in a reasonable and timely fashion.
Stimulators may be placed externally or internally.
Ultrasound may be used in a similar fashion.
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30. Spine (Vertebral Column) (22010-22899)
Divided by repair location:
Cervical (C1-C7)
C1 = Atlas
C2 = Axis
Thoracic (T1-T12)
Lumbar (L1-L5)
Sacral (SI)
Coccyx (tailbone)
• Services in the Spine (vertebral column) section are subdivided according to location: cervical, lumbar, or thoracic region.
• Further subdivisions may be created with the use of separate codes for specific areas of the spine.
• Why is it necessary to have procedural codes for specific areas of the cervical spine? (Because treatment may be different for a similar injury, depending on location)
From Buck CJ:2011 ICD-9-CM for Hospitals, Volumes 1, 2, & 3, Professional Edition, St. Louis, 2011, Saunders.
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31. Incision (22010, 22015)
Open incision and drainage of deep abscess of spine
Divided by location
Cervical, thoracic, or cervicothoracic
Lumbar, sacral, or lumbosacral
• This category is used for open incision and drainage of deep abscesses of the spine.
• How are these codes further divided? (22010 is for cervical, thoracic, and cervicothoracic and is for lumbar, sacral, and lumbosacral)
• There are many notes under codes and with coding rules.
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32. Arthrodesis ( )
Fixation of joint (arthro = joint, desis = fusion)
Fixation with pins, wires, rods, etc., to immobilize the joint
Often performed with other procedure
Such as fracture repair
Use -51 on arthrodesis code
Unless service reported with add-on code
Coded by approach, site, and number of interspaces or segments
• Arthrodesis, the fixation of a joint, can be performed alone or with another surgical procedure, such as fracture care or a laminectomy.
• How should arthrodesis be coded when it is delivered with another procedure? (With a more major procedure, use the modifier -51 on the arthrodesis code to indicate multiple procedures. Exception: When the code is an add-on code, which is exempt from the use of modifier -51.)
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33. Spinal Instrumentation (22840-22865)
Types of Spinal Instrumentation
Segmental: Devices at each end of repair area plus at least one other attachment
Nonsegmental: Devices at each end only
Extensive notes
Report in addition to definitive procedure without the -51 modifier
• Spinal instrumentation may be used to stabilize the spinal column in some repair procedures.
• What is the difference between segmental and nonsegmental instrumentation?
Both involve attaching a fixative device to the ends of the area being repaired.
With segmental instrumentation, a fixative device is attached to a third area for greater stability.
Figure: 19.15
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34. Subsequent Subheadings
After first subheading, General, divided by anatomic location
Anatomic subheadings divided based by type procedure
(Cont’d…)
• The subsections of the Musculoskeletal System included after the General subheading reflect anatomical sites. The anatomical subheadings are subdivided according to type of procedure.
• How are codes in the General subheading organized? (By procedure, with anatomical location typically not included in code descriptions)
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35. Subheadings (…Cont’d)
Example subheading “Head” divided by procedure ( ):
Incision
Excision
Manipulation
Head Prosthesis
Introduction or Removal
Repair, Revision, and/or Reconstruction
Fracture and/or Dislocation
Other Procedures
• How are the Anatomic region subheadings further classified? (On the basis of the procedure performed)
• From which category under the “Head” subheading would the code for an application of a halo-type appliance for maxillofacial fixation be located in? (Introduction or Removal)
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36. Casting and Strapping (29000-29799)
Replacement procedure or initial placement stabilizes without additional restorative treatment
Initial fracture treatment includes placement and removal of first cast
Subsequent cast applications are coded separately
(Cont’d…)
• Casting and Strapping codes are used when initial fracture treatment aims to stabilize without additional treatment provided at the time. These codes are also used when new casts are applied after restoration. Why may a cast/splint/strap be applied before a fracture is restored?
Swelling may prevent restoration at the time of injury.
The cast/splint/strap is applied to stabilize and prevent further damage until swelling decreases.
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37. Casting and Strapping (29000-29799)
(…Cont’d)
Initial cast
Not coded when part of a surgical procedure
Removal is bundled into surgical procedure
Supplies are reported separately
• Are casting and strapping codes used when the cast, splint, or strap is applied as a part of a musculoskeletal surgical procedure?
No. The application and removal of an initial cast, splint, or strap applied after a surgical procedure is bundled into the musculoskeletal surgical procedure code. No additional code is required or appropriate. However, supplies used in the procedure are recorded separately.
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38. Endoscopy/Arthroscopy (29800-29999)
Surgical arthroscopy always includes diagnostic arthroscopy
Codes divided by joint
Subdivided on procedure
Diagnostic arthroscopy codes only reported for cases where no surgical scope is performed (exception is diagnostic scope that determines need to do open surgery, same day)
Use modifier -51 on the diagnostic scope
(Cont’d…)
• Why is arthroscopy often the treatment of choice for orthopedic surgical procedures? (Incisions are smaller, risk of infection is lower, and recovery time is shorter.)
• Surgical codes for arthroscopic surgery always include diagnostic arthroscopy. Arthroscopy codes are subdivided, however, on the basis of the joint affected.
• When should you code separately for procedures included in a surgical bundle? (Never)
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39. Endoscopy/Arthroscopy (29800-29999)
(…Cont’d)
Note: Parenthetical information following codes indicates which code to use if procedure was an open procedure
Most arthroscopies include the following procedures:
Local infiltration of medication
Suture removal by operating surgeon
Surgical approach
Wound culture
Intraoperative photos and video imaging
Isolation of neurovascular structures
Stimulation of the nerves for identification
Placement of drains and suction devices
Wound closure
• Be sure to note any parenthetical statements attached to CPT codes.
• For arthroscopy, parenthetical notes indicate which code to use if the procedure was open (incisional) instead of endoscopic.
• Why is it important to distinguish open and endoscopic procedures during coding? (The nature and extent of these two services are different, even though the reason for the procedure and the patient outcome may be the same.)
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40. MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Conclusion CHAPTER 19
MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
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