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The CPT® Code 29826 refers to a surgical procedure known as arthroscopy of the shoulder, specifically focusing on the decompression of the subacromial space. This procedure is commonly referred to as an arthroscopic subacromial decompression (ASAD). It involves a combination of techniques, including partial acromioplasty and the release of the coracoacromial ligament, when indicated. The primary goal of this procedure is to alleviate shoulder pain and improve function by addressing impingement issues that occur when the rotator cuff is compressed against the acromion, which is a bony prominence on the shoulder blade. The procedure is typically performed in a minimally invasive manner using arthroscopic techniques, which allow for smaller incisions and reduced recovery time compared to open surgery. The patient is positioned either in a lateral decubitus position with the arm suspended or in a beach chair position, facilitating access to the shoulder joint. The use of sterile saline solution helps to expand the joint space, allowing for a clearer view and better access to the surgical site. This procedure is often performed in conjunction with other shoulder surgeries, and it is important to note that it should be listed separately in addition to the code for the primary procedure when billing for services rendered.
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The procedure described by CPT® Code 29826 is indicated for patients experiencing shoulder pain and dysfunction due to impingement of the rotator cuff. This condition may manifest as a result of various factors, including anatomical variations, degenerative changes, or trauma. The following are specific indications for performing this procedure:
The procedure for CPT® Code 29826 involves several key steps that are performed arthroscopically to ensure minimal invasiveness and effective treatment of shoulder impingement. The following outlines the procedural steps:
After the completion of the arthroscopic subacromial decompression procedure, patients typically undergo a recovery period that may involve pain management and rehabilitation. Post-procedure care includes monitoring for any signs of complications, such as infection or excessive swelling. Patients are often advised to follow a rehabilitation program that includes physical therapy to restore range of motion and strength in the shoulder. The expected recovery time can vary based on individual factors, but many patients can begin light activities within a few weeks, with a gradual return to full activity over several months. It is essential for patients to adhere to their healthcare provider's instructions regarding activity restrictions and rehabilitation exercises to ensure optimal recovery and outcomes.
| Short Descr | SHO ARTHRS SRG DECOMPRESSION | Medium Descr | SURGICAL ARTHROSCOPY SHO W/CORACOACRM LIGM RLS | Long Descr | Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; decompression of subacromial space with partial acromioplasty, with coracoacromial ligament (ie, arch) release, when performed (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure) | Status Code | Active Code | Global Days | ZZZ - Code Related to Another Service | PC/TC Indicator (26, TC) | 0 - Physician Service Code | Multiple Procedures (51) | 0 - No payment adjustment rules for multiple procedures apply. | Bilateral Surgery (50) | 1 - 150% payment adjustment for bilateral procedures applies. | Physician Supervisions | 09 - Concept does not apply. | Assistant Surgeon (80, 82) | 2 - Payment restriction for assistants at surgery does not apply to this procedure... | Co-Surgeons (62) | 1 - Co-surgeons could be paid, though supporting documentation is required... | Team Surgery (66) | 0 - Team surgeons not permitted for this procedure. | Endoscopic Base Code | 29805 Arthroscopy, shoulder, diagnostic, with or without synovial biopsy (separate procedure) | Diagnostic Imaging Family | 99 - Concept Does Not Apply | APC Status Indicator | Items and Services Packaged into APC Rates | ASC Payment Indicator | Packaged service/item; no separate payment made. | Type of Service (TOS) | 2 - Surgery | Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) | P8A - Endoscopy - arthroscopy | MUE | 1 | CCS Clinical Classification | 154 - Arthroplasty other than hip or knee |
This is an add-on code that must be used in conjunction with one of these primary codes.
| 29806 | MPFS Status: Active Code APC J1 ASC A2 Illustration for Code Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; capsulorrhaphy | 29807 | MPFS Status: Active Code APC J1 ASC A2 Illustration for Code Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; repair of SLAP lesion | 29819 | MPFS Status: Active Code APC J1 ASC A2 Illustration for Code Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; with removal of loose body or foreign body | 29820 | MPFS Status: Active Code APC J1 ASC A2 Illustration for Code Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; synovectomy, partial | 29821 | MPFS Status: Active Code APC J1 ASC A2 Illustration for Code Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; synovectomy, complete | 29822 | MPFS Status: Active Code APC J1 ASC A2 CPT Assistant Article Illustration for Code Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; debridement, limited, 1 or 2 discrete structures (eg, humeral bone, humeral articular cartilage, glenoid bone, glenoid articular cartilage, biceps tendon, biceps anchor complex, labrum, articular capsule, articular side of the rotator cuff, bursal side of the rotator cuff, subacromial bursa, foreign body[ies]) | 29823 | MPFS Status: Active Code APC J1 ASC A2 Illustration for Code Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; debridement, extensive, 3 or more discrete structures (eg, humeral bone, humeral articular cartilage, glenoid bone, glenoid articular cartilage, biceps tendon, biceps anchor complex, labrum, articular capsule, articular side of the rotator cuff, bursal side of the rotator cuff, subacromial bursa, foreign body[ies]) | 29824 | MPFS Status: Active Code APC J1 ASC A2 Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; distal claviculectomy including distal articular surface (Mumford procedure) | 29825 | MPFS Status: Active Code APC J1 ASC A2 Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; with lysis and resection of adhesions, with or without manipulation | 29827 | MPFS Status: Active Code APC J1 ASC A2 CPT Assistant Article Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; with rotator cuff repair | 29828 | MPFS Status: Active Code APC J1 ASC G2 CPT Assistant Article Illustration for Code Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; biceps tenodesis |
| RT | Right side (used to identify procedures performed on the right side of the body) | LT | Left side (used to identify procedures performed on the left side of the body) | AS | Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery | 59 | Distinct procedural service: under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was distinct or independent from other non-e/m services performed on the same day. modifier 59 is used to identify procedures/services, other than e/m services, that are not normally reported together, but are appropriate under the circumstances. documentation must support a different session, different procedure or surgery, different site or organ system, separate incision/excision, separate lesion, or separate injury (or area of injury in extensive injuries) not ordinarily encountered or performed on the same day by the same individual. however, when another already established modifier is appropriate it should be used rather than modifier 59. only if no more descriptive modifier is available, and the use of modifier 59 best explains the circumstances, should modifier 59 be used. note: modifier 59 should not be appended to an e/m service. to report a separate and distinct e/m service with a non-e/m service performed on the same date, see modifier 25. | GC | This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician | 80 | Assistant surgeon: surgical assistant services may be identified by adding modifier 80 to the usual procedure number(s). | SG | Ambulatory surgical center (asc) facility service | 82 | Assistant surgeon (when qualified resident surgeon not available): the unavailability of a qualified resident surgeon is a prerequisite for use of modifier 82 appended to the usual procedure code number(s). | XS | Separate structure, a service that is distinct because it was performed on a separate organ/structure | XU | Unusual non-overlapping service, the use of a service that is distinct because it does not overlap usual components of the main service | 81 | Minimum assistant surgeon: minimum surgical assistant services are identified by adding modifier 81 to the usual procedure number. | X4 | Episodic/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians who provide focused care on particular types of treatment limited to a defined period and circumstance; the patient has a problem, acute or chronic, that will be treated with surgery, radiation, or some other type of generally time-limited intervention; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the orthopedic surgeon performing a knee replacement and seeing the patient through the postoperative period | GY | Item or service statutorily excluded, does not meet the definition of any medicare benefit or, for non-medicare insurers, is not a contract benefit | 51 | Multiple procedures: when multiple procedures, other than e/m services, physical medicine and rehabilitation services or provision of supplies (eg, vaccines), are performed at the same session by the same individual, the primary procedure or service may be reported as listed. the additional procedure(s) or service(s) may be identified by appending modifier 51 to the additional procedure or service code(s). note: this modifier should not be appended to designated "add-on" codes (see appendix d). | 79 | Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: the individual may need to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was unrelated to the original procedure. this circumstance may be reported by using modifier 79. (for repeat procedures on the same day, see modifier 76.) | CR | Catastrophe/disaster related | 22 | Increased procedural services: when the work required to provide a service is substantially greater than typically required, it may be identified by adding modifier 22 to the usual procedure code. documentation must support the substantial additional work and the reason for the additional work (ie, increased intensity, time, technical difficulty of procedure, severity of patient's condition, physical and mental effort required). note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service. | 24 | Unrelated evaluation and management service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during a postoperative period: the physician or other qualified health care professional may need to indicate that an evaluation and management service was performed during a postoperative period for a reason(s) unrelated to the original procedure. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 24 to the appropriate level of e/m service. | 26 | Professional component: certain procedures are a combination of a physician or other qualified health care professional component and a technical component. when the physician or other qualified health care professional component is reported separately, the service may be identified by adding modifier 26 to the usual procedure number. | 50 | Bilateral procedure: unless otherwise identified in the listings, bilateral procedures that are performed at the same session, should be identified by adding modifier 50 to the appropriate 5 digit code. note: this modifier should not be appended to designated "add-on" codes (see appendix d). | 52 | Reduced services: under certain circumstances a service or procedure is partially reduced or eliminated at the discretion of the physician or other qualified health care professional. under these circumstances the service provided can be identified by its usual procedure number and the addition of modifier 52, signifying that the service is reduced. this provides a means of reporting reduced services without disturbing the identification of the basic service. note: for hospital outpatient reporting of a previously scheduled procedure/service that is partially reduced or cancelled as a result of extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well-being of the patient prior to or after administration of anesthesia, see modifiers 73 and 74 (see modifiers approved for asc hospital outpatient use). | 58 | Staged or related procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: it may be necessary to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was: (a) planned or anticipated (staged); (b) more extensive than the original procedure; or (c) for therapy following a surgical procedure. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 58 to the staged or related procedure. note: for treatment of a problem that requires a return to the operating/procedure room (eg, unanticipated clinical condition), see modifier 78. | 74 | Discontinued out-patient hospital/ambulatory surgery center (asc) procedure after administration of anesthesia: due to extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well being of the patient, the physician may terminate a surgical or diagnostic procedure after the administration of anesthesia (local, regional block(s), general) or after the procedure was started (incision made, intubation started, scope inserted, etc). under these circumstances, the procedure started but terminated can be reported by its usual procedure number and the addition of modifier 74. note: the elective cancellation of a service prior to the administration of anesthesia and/or surgical preparation of the patient should not be reported. for physician reporting of a discontinued procedure, see modifier 53. | 76 | Repeat procedure or service by same physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was repeated by the same physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 76 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service. | 78 | Unplanned return to the operating/procedure room by the same physician or other qualified health care professional following initial procedure for a related procedure during the postoperative period: it may be necessary to indicate that another procedure was performed during the postoperative period of the initial procedure (unplanned procedure following initial procedure). when this procedure is related to the first, and requires the use of an operating/procedure room, it may be reported by adding modifier 78 to the related procedure. (for repeat procedures, see modifier 76.) | A9 | Dressing for nine or more wounds | AG | Primary physician | AQ | Physician providing a service in an unlisted health professional shortage area (hpsa) | CC | Procedure code change (use 'cc' when the procedure code submitted was changed either for administrative reasons or because an incorrect code was filed) | ER | Items and services furnished by a provider-based, off-campus emergency department | GA | Waiver of liability statement issued as required by payer policy, individual case | GV | Attending physician not employed or paid under arrangement by the patient's hospice provider | GW | Service not related to the hospice patient's terminal condition | KL | Dmepos item delivered via mail | KX | Requirements specified in the medical policy have been met | PA | Surgical or other invasive procedure on wrong body part | PD | Diagnostic or related non diagnostic item or service provided in a wholly owned or operated entity to a patient who is admitted as an inpatient within 3 days | PO | Excepted service provided at an off-campus, outpatient, provider-based department of a hospital | PT | Colorectal cancer screening test; converted to diagnostic test or other procedure | Q0 | Investigational clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study | Q1 | Routine clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study | XE | Separate encounter, a service that is distinct because it occurred during a separate encounter | XP | Separate practitioner, a service that is distinct because it was performed by a different practitioner |
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| 2021-01-01 | Changed | Short and medium descriptions changed. |
| 2013-01-01 | Changed | Medium Descriptor changed. |
| 2012-01-01 | Changed | Description Changed |
| 2011-01-01 | Changed | Medium description changed. |
| 1990-01-01 | Added | First appearance in code book in 1990. |
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