Summary & Overview
CPT 26480: Tendon Transfer or Transplant, Carpometacarpal/Dorsum of Hand
CPT code 26480 denotes a surgical tendon transfer or tendon transplant performed in the carpometacarpal region or on the dorsum of the hand. This procedure is a specialized hand surgery intervention used to restore tendon function, correct deformity, or improve hand biomechanics after injury, degeneration, or neurologic impairment. It is clinically significant because it affects patient mobility, hand strength, and activities of daily living, and it often involves coordination among orthopedic and plastic hand surgeons.
Key payers referenced in the national analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical context for CPT code 26480, an outline of typical settings where the procedure is performed, and the common payer landscape. The publication also summarizes benchmarks relevant to utilization and reimbursement patterns, highlights policy or coding updates affecting surgical hand procedures, and explains related billing considerations and common modifiers where applicable.
Intended audiences include coding professionals, revenue cycle managers, hand surgeons, and policy analysts who need an up-to-date reference on clinical scope, payer coverage, and coding implications for tendon transfer/transplant procedures in the carpometacarpal and dorsal hand regions.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 26480 describes a surgical procedure to transfer or transplant a tendon in the carpometacarpal area or the dorsum (back) of the hand. The carpometacarpal area is where the wrist’s carpal bones articulate with the proximal bases of the five metacarpal bones of the hand.
Service Type: Surgical tendon transfer/transplant in the hand
Typical Site of Service: Hospital operating room or ambulatory surgical center (hand surgery suite)
Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 58-year-old right-hand–dominant patient presents with chronic thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint instability and pain after prior tendon injury and failed conservative management. The hand surgeon evaluates range of motion, grip strength, and performs imaging (hand/wrist radiographs and MRI) demonstrating tendon dysfunction and laxity in the carpometacarpal region. The clinical workflow includes preoperative history and physical, informed consent, preop anesthesia evaluation, and identification of laterality. In the operating room under regional block or general anesthesia, the surgeon exposes the dorsum of the hand and CMC region, harvests or mobilizes the donor tendon, performs a tendon transfer or tendon transplant to reconstruct joint stability or restore tendon function, and secures the tendon with suture anchors or tunnels. Postoperative workflow includes immediate dressing and splinting, pain control, discharge instructions, and early hand therapy with a staged rehabilitation protocol. Typical follow-up visits occur at 2 weeks for wound check, 6 weeks for early motion progression, and 3 months for strength assessment and activity clearance. Typical site of service is an ambulatory surgery center or hospital outpatient surgical facility for elective reconstructive tendon transfer in the carpometacarpal/back of hand region.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
LT | Left side | When the procedure is performed on the left hand |