Summary & Overview
CPT 25671: Percutaneous Fixation for Radioulnar Joint Dislocation
CPT code 25671 represents percutaneous fixation of a radioulnar joint dislocation at the wrist, a procedure used to reduce and stabilize dislocations often resulting from fall-related injuries. Nationally, this code matters because it captures a common orthopedic intervention for acute wrist and forearm trauma and drives surgical, facility, and post-acute payment workflows affecting hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and emergency departments.
Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The publication provides a concise overview of clinical context, expected sites of service, and the types of revenue implications associated with percutaneous stabilization procedures for wrist dislocations.
Readers will find benchmarks and coding context useful for billing and administrative teams, including typical service settings and clinical indications. The summary also highlights areas where policy updates or payer-specific coverage rules commonly appear, and it provides a clear clinical description to support accurate coding and claim documentation. Data not available in the input is omitted; this report focuses on the code definition, service implications, and payer coverage scope at a national level.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 25671 describes a percutaneous treatment for radioulnar joint dislocation at the wrist. The procedure involves the insertion of pins or wires through the skin and into the forearm bones to reduce and stabilize the dislocation caused commonly by extending the hand to break a fall.
Service type: Percutaneous fixation for radioulnar dislocation
Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or ambulatory surgical center; occasionally performed in an emergency department procedure suite
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 28-year-old otherwise healthy male presents to the emergency department after falling onto an outstretched hand while skateboarding. He has acute wrist pain, deformity at the distal radioulnar joint, swelling, and limited forearm rotation. Plain radiographs confirm a dorsal dislocation of the distal radioulnar joint without an associated open wound. After initial analgesia and closed reduction attempt in the ED, instability persists. The orthopedic hand surgeon performs a percutaneous stabilization of the radioulnar joint in the operating room under fluoroscopic guidance using one or more Kirschner wires to maintain reduction. The procedure is coded as 25671 (percutaneous fixation of radioulnar joint dislocation). Typical clinical workflow includes preoperative consent, regional or general anesthesia, fluoroscopic localization, percutaneous pin insertion across the distal radioulnar articulation, confirmation of stability and pin position, sterile dressing and immobilization, postoperative radiographs, and discharge with outpatient follow-up for pin removal in 4–6 weeks.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when work, time, and effort substantially exceed typical for 25671 due to complexity (document justification). |