CPT code 27486 refers to surgery that fixes or improves a previous knee replacement by working on one part of the artificial knee. CPT 27486 represents “Revision of total knee arthroplasty, with or without allograft; 1 component”.
Procedure Explanation:
This surgery involves making changes to an earlier knee replacement, either by repairing or replacing just one part of the artificial knee joint. The procedure can sometimes include using donor tissue, known as an allograft, but this is not always necessary. It does not involve working on multiple parts of the knee joint.
Common Names:
- Revision Knee Surgery
- Knee Replacement Revision
- Partial Knee Component Revision
Relative Value Units (RVU):
The RVUs associated with this code are 21.12.
How This Procedure Appears:
- Operating Room Schedule Name: Partial Knee Replacement Fix
- Surgical Consent Form Name: Revision of One Part of Artificial Knee
Typical Patients and Diagnoses:
This type of surgery is typically needed by patients who had a knee replacement done earlier but are experiencing issues such as pain, swelling, or reduced movement in the knee. Commonly, the initial implant might have been worn out, loosened, or caused some discomfort. For example, someone who had a knee replaced years ago might notice that it’s not functioning as it used to and could be a candidate for this procedure.
Associated ICD-10 Codes:
- T84.010A: This code means the artificial knee joint is experiencing mechanical loosening, which can lead to instability.
- T84.84XA: This refers to the knee joint having pain due to the artificial parts, sometimes termed as “prosthetic joint pain.”
- M25.561: This describes any swelling in the right knee, which might occur due to issues with the artificial joint.
Summary
In summary, code 27486 describes a surgical procedure aimed at fixing an earlier knee replacement by focusing on one specific part of the knee joint. Typical ICD-10 codes associated with 27486 include T84.010A (mechanical loosening of the knee joint) and T84.84XA (pain in the prosthetic knee joint).
Disclaimer
This post is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. “CPT” and CPT Codes are registered trademarks of the American Medical Association. HCPCS codes are managed by Medicare and are not subject to copyright.