Summary & Overview
CPT 27713: Tibial Osteotomy with Internal Bone-Lengthening Device
CPT code 27713 represents surgical tibial osteotomy with insertion of an internally implanted, externally controlled bone-lengthening device and associated management. This procedure is a specialized orthopedic service used to treat limb-length discrepancies, congenital or post-traumatic deformities, and other conditions requiring gradual bone lengthening. Nationally, the code is significant for orthopedic surgical planning, payer coverage determinations, and hospital service-line budgeting due to its resource intensity, need for imaging and device management, and prolonged follow-up.
Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of clinical context and care setting, typical utilization and service components, and guidance on where to locate payer policy details. The publication summarizes expected clinical services bundled with the code—osteotomy, implant insertion, imaging, alignment checks, and external device programming—and outlines topics for payers and providers to consider when reviewing coverage criteria and prior authorization requirements.
This resource is aimed at billing managers, orthopedic surgeons, and policy analysts seeking a concise national summary of CPT code 27713, including the service definition, typical site of service, and items to review in payer coverage policies. Data not available in the input: specific modifiers, associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, related codes, and payer-specific reimbursement rates.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 27713 describes a surgical procedure in which the provider performs an osteotomy of the tibia (and, if needed, the fibula) and inserts an internal bone-lengthening device that is externally controlled to achieve gradual limb lengthening. The service includes intraoperative and postoperative imaging, alignment assessments, programming and adjustment schedules for the lengthening device, and device management.
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Service type: Surgical bone lengthening with internal implant and external control
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Typical site of service: Inpatient or outpatient hospital surgical setting; may include associated imaging and follow-up visits in hospital-based or ambulatory surgical facilities
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a skeletally mature adolescent or adult with a tibial length discrepancy, short stature, or post-traumatic tibial shortening that impairs gait or function. The patient presents to an orthopedic limb reconstruction clinic after conservative measures (physical therapy, shoe lifts, or contralateral procedures) fail or when the discrepancy is large enough to require surgical correction. Preoperative evaluation includes history and physical, standing full-length lower-extremity radiographs, CT or MRI if needed, templating for planned lengthening, and discussion of the external controller and lengthening schedule.
Perioperative workflow: the patient is admitted for a planned operative limb-lengthening procedure under general or regional anesthesia. The surgeon performs an open or percutaneous corticotomy/osteotomy of the tibia (and fibular osteotomy if needed), inserts an intramedullary lengthening nail, confirms implant position and mechanical alignment with intraoperative fluoroscopy, and closes wounds. Postoperative management includes inpatient pain control, instruction on device activation (external controller), scheduled imaging to monitor regenerate formation and alignment, outpatient adjustment schedules, physical therapy for joint range of motion and strengthening, and serial clinic visits until consolidation and device removal if indicated. Typical site of service is an outpatient ambulatory surgery center or inpatient hospital operating room depending on case complexity and patient comorbidities.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
24 |