Summary & Overview
CPT 27390: Open Tenotomy of Single Hamstring Tendon
CPT code 27390 denotes an open tenotomy of a single hamstring tendon, a targeted surgical procedure used to divide or release one of the hamstring muscles (biceps femoris, semitendinosus, or semimembranosus) between the knee and hip. Nationally, this code captures discrete orthopedic tendon-release operations performed in operative settings and is relevant for hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and orthopedic surgical practices managing hamstring contractures, chronic tendinopathy, or select traumatic injuries.
Key payers included in this analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of clinical context for the service, typical sites of care, and common billing considerations tied to procedural coding. The publication summarizes benchmark elements and coding relationships where available and flags areas where input data are not provided.
The report covers clinical indications and operative scope implicit in the code, payer coverage scope at a national level, and practical coding context for revenue cycle teams and practice managers. It also outlines which additional elements are not present in the input (such as associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, and related codes) so readers can identify gaps and plan for supplemental documentation or policy review.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 27390 describes an open tenotomy of a single hamstring tendon, involving surgical division or cutting of any one of the hamstring muscles (biceps femoris, semitendinosus, or semimembranosus) along the thigh between the knee and hip. The procedure is focused on releasing or lengthening a single hamstring tendon to address conditions that impair knee flexion or thigh movement.
Service type: Surgical procedure — open tendon surgery (tenotomy)
Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or ambulatory surgery center, where open orthopedic tendon procedures are performed.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult or adolescent presenting with chronic hamstring tightness, scarring, or tendon contracture after trauma, failed conservative care, or neuromuscular imbalance causing significant functional limitation, gait disturbance, or knee flexion impairment. The patient often reports posterior thigh pain, decreased hip extension, and difficulty with ambulation or athletic activity despite physical therapy, injections, and orthotic measures. Preoperative workup includes focused history and physical exam documenting range-of-motion deficits and focal tendon pathology, imaging as indicated (MRI or ultrasound of the posterior thigh), and discussion of surgical risks and expected outcomes.
In the clinical workflow, the patient is evaluated in an outpatient orthopedic or sports medicine clinic. Indications for an open hamstring tenotomy (CPT 27390) are confirmed and informed consent is obtained. The procedure is typically performed in an operating room or ambulatory surgery center under regional or general anesthesia. Preoperative antibiotics and standard sterile technique are used. The surgeon makes an open incision to identify and surgically divide the involved hamstring tendon (biceps femoris, semitendinosus, or semimembranosus) to relieve contracture or correct deformity. Postoperative care includes wound checks, pain control, physical therapy for range-of-motion and strengthening, and activity restrictions until healing and functional improvement are achieved.
Coding Specifications
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