CPT 24332: Triceps Tendon Release for Elbow Flexion
CPT code 24332 denotes a surgical triceps tendon release at the elbow performed to improve joint flexion. The procedure is clinically important for patients with limited elbow bending from tendon adhesions, contractures, or post-injury stiffness and is typically performed in an operating room or ambulatory surgical center. Nationally, this code represents a focused upper-extremity surgical intervention with implications for surgical resource use, perioperative care, and rehabilitation planning.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of the clinical context for the procedure, typical sites of service, and common billing modifiers associated with this surgical service. The publication provides benchmarks for coding and billing patterns, highlights recent policy or coverage considerations affecting reimbursement and authorization, and summarizes clinical factors that influence coding choices and utilization. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable. This summary is intended for a national audience of clinicians, coding professionals, and policy analysts seeking clarity on the use and billing context of CPT code 24332.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 24332 describes a surgical procedure in which the provider releases the triceps tendon around the elbow to improve elbow flexion (bending). This procedure is intended to free adhesions or tight tendon constraints that limit the joint's range of motion.
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Service type: Surgical release of triceps tendons to restore joint flexion
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Typical site of service: Operating room or ambulatory surgical center
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult presenting with decreased elbow flexion and posterior elbow pain due to triceps tendon adhesions or scarring after trauma, prior surgery, or chronic tendinopathy. The patient reports difficulty bending the elbow beyond a functional range, intermittent posterior elbow stiffness, and reduced ability to perform activities of daily living such as feeding or grooming. On exam there is limited active and passive elbow flexion with focal tenderness at the triceps insertion and restricted gliding of the triceps tendon. Conservative care (activity modification, NSAIDs, physical therapy, and corticosteroid injection if indicated) has failed.
The clinical workflow includes preoperative evaluation with focused history and physical, plain radiographs to rule out bony pathology, informed consent, and perioperative planning. The procedure, coded as 24332, is performed in an outpatient ambulatory surgery center or hospital operating room under regional or general anesthesia. Intraoperatively the surgeon releases adhesions and frees the triceps tendon to restore excursion and elbow flexion. Postoperative care includes immobilization for the immediate period as indicated, early supervised range-of-motion therapy, pain control, and follow-up visit documentation of improved flexion and wound status.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
LT | Left side | Use when the procedure is performed on the left elbow |
RT | Right side | Use when the procedure is performed on the right elbow |
50 | Bilateral procedure | Use when both elbows are treated and payer accepts bilateral modifier; otherwise report separate lines as required |
62 | Two surgeons | Use when two surgeons of different specialties work together as primary surgeons |
80 | Assistant surgeon | Use when an assistant surgeon provides general assistance intraoperatively |
62 | Co-surgeons | Use when co-surgeons perform distinct portions of the procedure (note: 62 duplicated here is intentional for emphasis on co-surgeon use) |
59 | Distinct procedural service | Use when another distinct procedure is performed on the same day at the same site and documentation supports distinctness |
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when the work or time required is substantially greater than typical and supported by operative report |
52 | Reduced services | Use when a service is partially reduced or not completed as described in the full CPT code |
79 | Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician during the postoperative period | Use when a separate unrelated procedure is performed during the global period (Note: 79 is not in the provided list; therefore Data not available in the input.) |
| Taxonomy Code | Specialty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
207L00000X | Orthopaedic Surgery | Primary specialty performing elbow tendon releases |
208000000X | Hand Surgery | Fellowship-trained hand surgeons often manage complex elbow tendon pathology |
208M00000X | Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation | Often provides perioperative and postoperative rehabilitation plans |
207T00000X | Sports Medicine | Sports medicine orthopedists treat activity-related triceps tendinopathy |
207K00000X | Orthopedic Surgery of the upper extremity | Subspecialty focus on elbow procedures |
Related Diagnoses
| ICD-10 Code | Description | Clinical Relevance |
|---|---|---|
M76.61 | Lateral epicondylitis, right elbow | Lateral tendon pathology can coexist with triceps adhesions affecting elbow motion |
M76.62 | Lateral epicondylitis, left elbow | As above on the left side |
M24.219 | Stiffness of unspecified joint, unspecified elbow | Direct indication for surgical release to restore motion |
M67.821 | Other enthesopathy of right elbow | Tendon insertion disorders that may lead to scarring requiring release |
M67.822 | Other enthesopathy of left elbow | Same on left |
S46.211A | Strain of muscle, fascia and tendon of the right triceps, initial encounter | Acute or subacute tendon injury leading to scarring and restricted flexion |
S46.212A | Strain of muscle, fascia and tendon of the left triceps, initial encounter | Left-sided equivalent |
Related CPT Codes
| CPT Code | Description | Relationship to This Procedure |
|---|---|---|
24350 | Open treatment of distal humeral nonunion or malunion, with or without internal or external fixation | Performed when triceps release is required in conjunction with distal humerus reconstruction |
24346 | Open treatment of radial head fracture; with internal fixation, including implant removal when performed | May be performed in the same operative setting for concomitant elbow pathology affecting flexion |
29848 | Arthroscopy, elbow, surgical; debridement, limited | Minimally invasive option for joint debridement that may accompany triceps release when intra-articular pathology is present |
24345 | Radical resection of elbow joint for infection or severe arthritis | More extensive procedure when release alone is insufficient; may follow failed less invasive procedures |
99024 | Postoperative follow-up visit, global period, related to the original procedure | Used for reporting routine postoperative visits within the global surgical period |