Summary & Overview
CPT 27842: Closed Treatment of Ankle Dislocation with Anesthesia
CPT code 27842 represents the closed reduction of an ankle dislocation performed with anesthesia and may include percutaneous skeletal fixation. This procedure is an acute orthopedic intervention to realign dislocated ankle joint surfaces without an open surgical approach. Nationally, the code matters for emergency, trauma, and orthopedic surgical workflows because it captures services that require anesthesia and often an operating or procedural suite, affecting facility utilization, anesthesia billing, and post-procedure care pathways.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The publication outlines how payers typically classify and reimburse closed ankle dislocation procedures, common billing modifiers that may accompany this service, and the clinical contexts in which the code is used.
Readers will gain a concise clinical and billing overview of CPT code 27842, understand typical sites of service and service type, and find guidance on what benchmark and policy topics to expect in the full publication — including reimbursement benchmarks, payer coverage considerations, and coding nuances relevant to emergency and orthopedic settings.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 27842 describes closed treatment of ankle dislocation with anesthesia, performed without surgically opening the site of dislocation. The code includes the use of anesthesia and encompasses percutaneous skeletal fixation when that technique is applied.
Service Type: Closed reduction of ankle dislocation (with anesthesia)
Typical Site of Service: Operating room or procedural suite with anesthesia support; may also be performed in an emergency department procedural area when appropriate
Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, or related codes.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 34-year-old male presents to the emergency department after an inversion injury while playing soccer. He has severe ankle deformity, swelling, and inability to bear weight. Radiographs demonstrate an isolated ankle dislocation without open skin disruption and no associated large fracture fragments requiring open reduction. After informed consent, the orthopedic team provides procedural sedation in the emergency department and performs a closed reduction of the ankle dislocation using longitudinal traction and manipulation. Post-reduction neurovascular exam and repeat plain films confirm concentric reduction. Because of persistent instability, percutaneous skeletal fixation with a trans-articular pin is placed through a small skin puncture to maintain reduction; skin is not surgically opened. The patient is immobilized in a splint and scheduled for outpatient follow-up and definitive management.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | Default/Unspecified | Rarely used; retains original code when payer-specific modifiers not required |
11 | Medicare contractors; indicates an initial procedural performance | Use to denote the primary practitioner’s service when required by payer |