“Acute” and “chronic” defined for rotator cuff repair

Article Overview

This article explains a coding guidance issue involving rotator cuff repair terminology and how an orthopaedic specialty organization is interpreting those terms for CPT reporting. It is relevant to orthopedic coders, billers, and clinicians who document shoulder procedures, especially when comparing procedure intent, patient history, and code selection within the rotator cuff repair family. The article also notes anticipated CPT updates for shoulder procedures and references related guidance on when a different repair code may apply.