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The CPT® Code 29075 refers to the application of a short arm cast, specifically designed to cover the area from the elbow to the fingers. This procedure is essential for immobilizing various injuries and conditions affecting the distal forearm and wrist. The process begins with the application of a stockinette, which serves as a protective layer over the skin. Following this, padding is added to provide cushioning and comfort. The next step involves the use of a plaster or fiberglass roll, which is first immersed in water to activate its setting properties. After saturating the material, any excess water is gently squeezed out to ensure optimal application. The saturated plaster or fiberglass is then wrapped around the arm, typically starting from the distal (farthest from the body) to the proximal (closest to the body) aspects. This technique allows for a secure fit that conforms to the natural contours of the arm. The final step involves smoothing and molding the cast to ensure it is comfortable and effective in immobilizing the affected area. The short arm cast is particularly useful for treating distal forearm fractures, wrist sprains, carpal fractures, and certain metacarpal fractures. Additionally, variations such as the thumb spica cast are utilized for specific injuries, including scaphoid fractures and some thumb fractures, highlighting the versatility of this casting technique in orthopedic care.
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The application of a short arm cast, as described by CPT® Code 29075, is indicated for several specific conditions and injuries affecting the forearm and wrist. These include:
The procedure for applying a short arm cast involves several detailed steps to ensure proper immobilization and support of the injured area. The steps are as follows:
After the application of the short arm cast, several post-procedure care considerations are important for optimal recovery. Patients are typically advised to keep the cast dry and avoid submerging it in water. Regular monitoring for any signs of complications, such as increased pain, swelling, or changes in skin color, is essential. Follow-up appointments may be scheduled to assess the healing process and determine when the cast can be safely removed. Patients should also be educated on the importance of not inserting objects into the cast to avoid skin irritation or injury. Overall, proper post-procedure care is crucial for ensuring a successful recovery and minimizing the risk of complications.
| Short Descr | APPLICATION OF FOREARM CAST | Medium Descr | APPLICATION CAST ELBOW FINGER SHORT ARM | Long Descr | Application, cast; elbow to finger (short arm) | Status Code | Active Code | Global Days | 000 - Endoscopic or Minor Procedure | PC/TC Indicator (26, TC) | 0 - Physician Service Code | Multiple Procedures (51) | 2 - Standard payment adjustment rules for multiple procedures apply. | Bilateral Surgery (50) | 1 - 150% payment adjustment for bilateral procedures applies. | Physician Supervisions | 09 - Concept does not apply. | Assistant Surgeon (80, 82) | 1 - Statutory payment restriction for assistants at surgery applies to this procedure... | Co-Surgeons (62) | 0 - Co-surgeons not permitted for this procedure. | Team Surgery (66) | 0 - Team surgeons not permitted for this procedure. | Diagnostic Imaging Family | 99 - Concept Does Not Apply | APC Status Indicator | Procedure or Service, Multiple Reduction Applies | ASC Payment Indicator | Office-based surgical procedure added to ASC list in CY 2008 or later with MPFS nonfacility PE RVUs; payment based on MPFS nonfacility PE RVUs. | Type of Service (TOS) | 2 - Surgery | Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) | P6B - Minor procedures - musculoskeletal | MUE | 1 | CCS Clinical Classification | 214 - Traction, splints, and other wound care |
| RT | Right side (used to identify procedures performed on the right side of the body) | LT | Left side (used to identify procedures performed on the left side of the body) | 58 | Staged or related procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: it may be necessary to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was: (a) planned or anticipated (staged); (b) more extensive than the original procedure; or (c) for therapy following a surgical procedure. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 58 to the staged or related procedure. note: for treatment of a problem that requires a return to the operating/procedure room (eg, unanticipated clinical condition), see modifier 78. | GP | Services delivered under an outpatient physical therapy plan of care | KX | Requirements specified in the medical policy have been met | 59 | Distinct procedural service: under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was distinct or independent from other non-e/m services performed on the same day. modifier 59 is used to identify procedures/services, other than e/m services, that are not normally reported together, but are appropriate under the circumstances. documentation must support a different session, different procedure or surgery, different site or organ system, separate incision/excision, separate lesion, or separate injury (or area of injury in extensive injuries) not ordinarily encountered or performed on the same day by the same individual. however, when another already established modifier is appropriate it should be used rather than modifier 59. only if no more descriptive modifier is available, and the use of modifier 59 best explains the circumstances, should modifier 59 be used. note: modifier 59 should not be appended to an e/m service. to report a separate and distinct e/m service with a non-e/m service performed on the same date, see modifier 25. | 79 | Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: the individual may need to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was unrelated to the original procedure. this circumstance may be reported by using modifier 79. (for repeat procedures on the same day, see modifier 76.) | 78 | Unplanned return to the operating/procedure room by the same physician or other qualified health care professional following initial procedure for a related procedure during the postoperative period: it may be necessary to indicate that another procedure was performed during the postoperative period of the initial procedure (unplanned procedure following initial procedure). when this procedure is related to the first, and requires the use of an operating/procedure room, it may be reported by adding modifier 78 to the related procedure. (for repeat procedures, see modifier 76.) | 51 | Multiple procedures: when multiple procedures, other than e/m services, physical medicine and rehabilitation services or provision of supplies (eg, vaccines), are performed at the same session by the same individual, the primary procedure or service may be reported as listed. the additional procedure(s) or service(s) may be identified by appending modifier 51 to the additional procedure or service code(s). note: this modifier should not be appended to designated "add-on" codes (see appendix d). | AQ | Physician providing a service in an unlisted health professional shortage area (hpsa) | CR | Catastrophe/disaster related | GC | This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician | 22 | Increased procedural services: when the work required to provide a service is substantially greater than typically required, it may be identified by adding modifier 22 to the usual procedure code. documentation must support the substantial additional work and the reason for the additional work (ie, increased intensity, time, technical difficulty of procedure, severity of patient's condition, physical and mental effort required). note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service. | 26 | Professional component: certain procedures are a combination of a physician or other qualified health care professional component and a technical component. when the physician or other qualified health care professional component is reported separately, the service may be identified by adding modifier 26 to the usual procedure number. | 50 | Bilateral procedure: unless otherwise identified in the listings, bilateral procedures that are performed at the same session, should be identified by adding modifier 50 to the appropriate 5 digit code. note: this modifier should not be appended to designated "add-on" codes (see appendix d). | 52 | Reduced services: under certain circumstances a service or procedure is partially reduced or eliminated at the discretion of the physician or other qualified health care professional. under these circumstances the service provided can be identified by its usual procedure number and the addition of modifier 52, signifying that the service is reduced. this provides a means of reporting reduced services without disturbing the identification of the basic service. note: for hospital outpatient reporting of a previously scheduled procedure/service that is partially reduced or cancelled as a result of extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well-being of the patient prior to or after administration of anesthesia, see modifiers 73 and 74 (see modifiers approved for asc hospital outpatient use). | 76 | Repeat procedure or service by same physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was repeated by the same physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 76 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service. | 77 | Repeat procedure by another physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a basic procedure or service was repeated by another physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 77 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service. | AG | Primary physician | AS | Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery | CC | Procedure code change (use 'cc' when the procedure code submitted was changed either for administrative reasons or because an incorrect code was filed) | F1 | Left hand, second digit | F2 | Left hand, third digit | F3 | Left hand, fourth digit | F4 | Left hand, fifth digit | F5 | Right hand, thumb | F6 | Right hand, second digit | F7 | Right hand, third digit | F8 | Right hand, fourth digit | F9 | Right hand, fifth digit | FA | Left hand, thumb | FQ | The service was furnished using audio-only communication technology | FS | Split (or shared) evaluation and management visit | GA | Waiver of liability statement issued as required by payer policy, individual case | GO | Services delivered under an outpatient occupational therapy plan of care | GV | Attending physician not employed or paid under arrangement by the patient's hospice provider | GW | Service not related to the hospice patient's terminal condition | KV | Dmepos item subject to dmepos competitive bidding program that is furnished as part of a professional service | PN | Non-excepted service provided at an off-campus, outpatient, provider-based department of a hospital | PO | Excepted service provided at an off-campus, outpatient, provider-based department of a hospital | Q1 | Routine clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study | Q5 | Service furnished under a reciprocal billing arrangement by a substitute physician or by a substitute physical therapist furnishing outpatient physical therapy services in a health professional shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a rural area | QJ | Services/items provided to a prisoner or patient in state or local custody, however the state or local government, as applicable, meets the requirements in 42 cfr 411.4 (b) | SA | Nurse practitioner rendering service in collaboration with a physician | T1 | Left foot, second digit | X1 | Continuous/broad services: for reporting services by clinicians, who provide the principal care for a patient, with no planned endpoint of the relationship; services in this category represent comprehensive care, dealing with the entire scope of patient problems, either directly or in a care coordination role; reporting clinician service examples include, but are not limited to: primary care, and clinicians providing comprehensive care to patients in addition to specialty care | X2 | Continuous/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians whose expertise is needed for the ongoing management of a chronic disease or a condition that needs to be managed and followed with no planned endpoint to the relationship; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to: a rheumatologist taking care of the patient's rheumatoid arthritis longitudinally but not providing general primary care services | X4 | Episodic/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians who provide focused care on particular types of treatment limited to a defined period and circumstance; the patient has a problem, acute or chronic, that will be treated with surgery, radiation, or some other type of generally time-limited intervention; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the orthopedic surgeon performing a knee replacement and seeing the patient through the postoperative period | XE | Separate encounter, a service that is distinct because it occurred during a separate encounter | XS | Separate structure, a service that is distinct because it was performed on a separate organ/structure | XU | Unusual non-overlapping service, the use of a service that is distinct because it does not overlap usual components of the main service |
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| 2002-01-01 | Changed | Code description changed. |
| Pre-1990 | Added | Code added. |
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