Summary & Overview
CPT 27502: Closed Reduction of Femoral Shaft Fracture
CPT code 27502 represents a closed reduction of a femoral shaft fracture with manipulation, a common orthopedic procedure to realign and stabilize broken femoral shafts using manual techniques and traction. Nationally, this code captures urgent fracture care that can occur in emergency departments, inpatient surgical units, or outpatient operating rooms and is central to timely musculoskeletal trauma management.
Key payers in the analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Coverage and billing practices for 27502 affect hospital and orthopedic practice revenue cycles, utilization reporting, and post-acute care planning for patients with long-bone fractures.
Readers will find clinical context for when closed reduction is performed versus open techniques, typical settings where the service is delivered, and the implications for claims processing and payer interactions. The publication summarizes benchmarks, payer coverage trends, and policy considerations relevant to fracture reduction services. Where input data was not provided, the report notes that specific fields are not available in the input.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 27502 describes a closed reduction of a femoral shaft fracture with manipulation. The procedure involves manually realigning the broken femoral shaft and applying traction as needed to restore alignment and achieve stability while the bone heals.
Service Type: Fracture management / Orthopedic surgical procedure (closed reduction)
Typical Site of Service: Hospital operating room or emergency department with orthopedic services, including inpatient or outpatient surgical settings where immobilization and traction can be applied.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 28-year-old male motorcyclist presents to the emergency department after a high-speed collision with severe right thigh pain, swelling, and deformity. Radiographs and CT confirm a displaced mid-shaft femoral fracture. The orthopedic trauma team prepares the patient for urgent closed reduction with traction under anesthesia to restore length, alignment, and rotation prior to possible immobilization or definitive fixation. In the preoperative workflow, informed consent is obtained, baseline labs and cross-match are reviewed, and the patient is evaluated for anesthesia. In the operating room or procedure suite, fluoroscopic imaging is used to guide manipulation and traction; muscle relaxation is provided by general or regional anesthesia. The procedure aims to re-establish an acceptable anatomic reduction without open exposure of the fracture. Post-procedure care includes neurovascular checks, repeat imaging to document alignment, pain control, DVT prophylaxis, and planning for either continued closed management (traction/cast) or conversion to operative fixation depending on stability and patient factors.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when the closed reduction required substantially greater effort, time, or technical difficulty than typical (document justification). |