Summary & Overview
CPT 24344: Elbow Collateral Ligament Reconstruction with Tendon Graft
Headline: CPT code 24344 defines elbow collateral ligament reconstruction using a tendon graft; it represents a targeted orthopedic repair with implications for surgical coding and payer coverage. Lead: CPT code 24344 covers surgical reconstruction of a damaged collateral ligament at the elbow using a tendon graft to restore joint stability and function; the code is relevant for orthopedic surgeons, facility billing staff, and payers managing musculoskeletal surgical services nationally.
CPT code 24344 represents a reconstructive elbow ligament procedure commonly performed to address instability after traumatic injury or chronic insufficiency. Nationally, this code matters because it aligns surgical technique with a specific procedural descriptor that payers use to adjudicate coverage, preauthorization, and facility reimbursement. Typical sites of service include hospital outpatient departments and inpatient operating rooms.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the code’s clinical scope, the typical care setting, and what to expect in terms of billing context. The publication also outlines benchmarks and policy-relevant points, clinical context for when the procedure is used, and common administrative considerations tied to coding and claims processing.
This summary provides clinicians, coding professionals, and billing managers with the core facts about CPT code 24344 and what to consider when it appears on a surgical claim. Data not available in the input: specific ICD-10 pairings, payer-specific coverage rules, and related procedure codes.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 24344 describes a surgical procedure to repair a damaged collateral ligament of the elbow using a tendon graft. The procedure involves reconstructing the collateral ligament either at its attachment on the bone (the elbow end) or in the mid-substance of the ligament with autograft or allograft tendon tissue to restore stability and function.
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Service type: Surgical ligament reconstruction of the elbow using a tendon graft
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Typical site of service: Hospital outpatient department or inpatient operating room, depending on clinical severity and patient needs
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 42-year-old right-hand-dominant recreational tennis player presents with chronic lateral elbow pain and instability after a traumatic fall onto an outstretched hand six months earlier. Conservative care including rest, bracing, physical therapy, and corticosteroid injection failed to relieve pain or restore stability. Imaging (MRI) demonstrates a midsubstance tear of the lateral collateral ligament complex with attenuation of native tissue. The orthopedic surgeon elects to perform reconstruction of the damaged collateral ligament of the elbow using an autologous tendon graft under general anesthesia. The typical clinical workflow includes preoperative evaluation (history, physical exam, imaging), perioperative informed consent, operative repair/reconstruction in an ambulatory surgery center or hospital operating room, post-anesthesia recovery, and outpatient postoperative follow-up with immobilization, wound checks, and staged rehabilitation to restore range of motion and strength. Usual sites of service are an ambulatory surgery center or inpatient hospital operating room when concomitant procedures or medical comorbidities require an inpatient stay. Relevant clinicians include orthopedic surgeons (hand/elbow specialists), anesthesiologists, perioperative nursing, and physical therapists for postoperative care.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
59 | Distinct Procedural Service | Use when another procedure or service performed on the same day is distinct and not normally reported together with . |