Summary & Overview
CPT 26775: Closed Treatment of Interphalangeal Joint Dislocation
CPT code 26775 represents the closed reduction of a single interphalangeal joint dislocation performed with manipulation under anesthesia. This procedure is commonly used to restore alignment after traumatic digital dislocations and is relevant across emergency, urgent care, and outpatient surgical settings. Nationally, it matters because timely, appropriate reductions can reduce morbidity, preserve function, and affect downstream resource use.
Key payers addressed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The publication provides a concise national overview of billing and clinical context for 26775, intended for revenue cycle managers, clinicians, and policy analysts.
Readers will find: a clinical description of the procedure and typical sites of service; billing and coding considerations tied to procedural anesthesia and site settings; common modifiers associated with procedural billing (listed separately); and an outline of content areas where benchmarks or policy updates are typically relevant. Data not available in the input will be explicitly noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 26775 describes a closed treatment of a single interphalangeal joint dislocation. The procedure involves manipulation or adjustment of a dislocated interphalangeal joint, performed under anesthesia to restore normal joint alignment.
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Service type: Procedural/orthopedic joint reduction
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Typical site of service: Ambulatory surgery center, hospital outpatient department, or emergency department with procedural sedation or regional/local anesthesia
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Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult or adolescent presenting to the emergency department or urgent care after acute trauma to a finger (e.g., fall, sports injury, crush). The patient reports acute pain, visible deformity, swelling, and limited range of motion at a single interphalangeal joint. Initial evaluation includes focused history, neurovascular exam of the digit, and radiographs to assess for dislocation with or without associated fracture. When radiographs confirm an isolated interphalangeal joint dislocation without an open wound or unstable fracture that requires open reduction, the clinician performs a closed reduction under appropriate analgesia or anesthesia (digital block, procedural sedation, or regional block). Post-reduction radiographs confirm joint congruity. The workflow includes informed consent, documentation of pre- and post-reduction neurovascular status, method of anesthesia, reduction maneuvers performed, number of attempts, and immobilization applied (splint or buddy taping). Follow-up instructions and referral to hand surgery are arranged if reduction is unstable, associated with significant fracture, or if neurovascular compromise persists.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
23 | Unusual anesthesia | Use when a procedure that normally does not require general anesthesia is performed under general anesthesia due to extenuating circumstances (e.g., patient agitation preventing local block). |