Summary & Overview
CPT 28230: Foot Flexor Tendon Release (Tenotomy)
CPT code 28230 covers surgical division of one or more flexor tendons in the foot to correct deformities from congenital or acquired tendon shortening. Nationally, this code captures procedures aimed at restoring foot alignment and function, spanning pediatric congenital cases to adult contractures from trauma or neuromuscular conditions. The code is relevant to hospital outpatient departments, ambulatory surgery centers, and inpatient surgical services where orthopedic and podiatric surgeons deliver corrective tendon-release procedures.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The publication provides standardized benchmarks and a clinical billing context for CPT code 28230, noting service setting considerations and payer coverage patterns where available. Readers will find an overview of typical utilization drivers, coding context for surgical tendon release procedures of the foot, and the types of performance and administrative details that affect billing and claims processing nationally. Data not provided in the input—such as specific ICD-10 pairings, taxonomies, and payer policy text—is noted as unavailable. The content is intended to inform billing managers, practice administrators, and policy analysts about the clinical and billing identity of CPT code 28230 without offering clinical or reimbursement recommendations.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 28230 describes a surgical procedure in which the provider divides one or more flexor tendons in the foot to correct a deformity caused by congenital or acquired tendon shortening. This procedure is a tendon release (tenotomy) intended to lengthen or free shortened flexor tendons to improve foot alignment and function.
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Service type: Surgical tendon release/tenotomy of the foot
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Typical site of service: Hospital outpatient department, ambulatory surgery center, or inpatient surgical setting depending on clinical complexity and patient factors
Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult or adolescent presenting with a toe or forefoot deformity (for example, hammertoe or claw toe) caused by congenital or acquired flexor tendon shortening leading to persistent contracture, pain, callus formation, and difficulty with shoe wear and ambulation. The patient often has failed conservative care including footwear modification, orthoses, splinting, physical therapy, or corticosteroid injections. Examination shows limited passive extension of the involved toe, palpable tight flexor tendon and dorsal prominence at the proximal interphalangeal joint. Imaging (weight-bearing foot radiographs) may be obtained to assess joint alignment and exclude arthritis. The surgical workflow includes preoperative consent and marking, administration of local/regional anesthesia or general anesthesia, operative release/division of one or more flexor tendons in the foot to correct the deformity, intraoperative assessment of passive correction, possible concomitant procedures (such as tendon transfer, tendon lengthening, joint arthroplasty, or osteotomy if indicated), wound closure, postoperative dressing and splinting, and follow-up for wound checks and rehabilitation.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when work substantially exceeds typical for 28230 due to extensive dissection or additional intraoperative time. |