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A static splint, identified by CPT® Code 29125, is a medical device applied to stabilize an injury by limiting movement and providing support to the posterior aspect of the forearm, wrist, and hand. This type of splint is particularly useful in the management of various musculoskeletal injuries, as it helps to immobilize the affected area, thereby facilitating healing and reducing pain. The application process begins with the placement of a stockinette over the arm, extending from the elbow to the wrist, which serves as a protective layer. Following this, padding is added over the stockinette to enhance comfort and prevent skin irritation. The next step involves the use of plaster sheets, which are cut to the appropriate length and then immersed in water to become saturated. After excess water is gently squeezed out, the plaster is carefully applied to the posterior aspect of the forearm, wrist, and hand. The plaster is then smoothed and molded to ensure a proper fit. To secure the splint in place, an elastic bandage is wrapped around the arm, and in some cases, the forearm may be placed in a sling for additional support. This procedure is distinct from the application of a dynamic splint, as referenced in CPT® Code 29126, which allows for movement of the forearm and wrist by applying a gentle sustained force, thereby improving flexibility of the joints.
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The application of a static splint using CPT® Code 29125 is indicated for various conditions that require stabilization of the forearm, wrist, and hand. These indications may include:
The procedure for applying a static splint as per CPT® Code 29125 involves several detailed steps to ensure proper immobilization and support of the affected area. The process begins with the application of a stockinette, which is placed over the arm from the elbow to the wrist. This stockinette acts as a protective barrier between the skin and the splint material. Following the stockinette, padding is added to enhance comfort and prevent any potential skin irritation that may arise from the splint. Next, plaster sheets are cut to the appropriate length based on the size of the patient's arm. These plaster sheets are then immersed in water until they are fully saturated. After soaking, excess water is gently squeezed out to ensure that the plaster is not overly wet, which could affect its setting properties. The saturated plaster is then carefully applied to the posterior aspect of the forearm, wrist, and hand, where it is molded and smoothed to conform to the contours of the arm. This molding is crucial for ensuring that the splint provides adequate support without causing discomfort. Once the plaster is in place, an elastic bandage is wrapped around the arm to secure the splint firmly. In some cases, the forearm may also be placed in a sling to provide additional support and immobilization, further aiding in the healing process.
After the application of the static splint, it is essential to monitor the patient for any signs of complications, such as increased pain, swelling, or changes in skin color or temperature, which may indicate compromised circulation. Patients are typically advised to keep the splint dry and to avoid any activities that could stress the immobilized area. Follow-up appointments may be necessary to assess the healing process and to make any adjustments to the splint if required. The duration for which the splint remains in place will depend on the specific injury and the physician's recommendations, but it is crucial for the patient to adhere to the prescribed timeline to ensure optimal recovery.
| Short Descr | APPLY FOREARM SPLINT | Medium Descr | APPLICATION SHORT ARM SPLINT FOREARM-HAND STATIC | Long Descr | Application of short arm splint (forearm to hand); static | 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 | STV-Packaged Codes | ASC Payment Indicator | Packaged service/item; no separate payment made. | 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. | 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. | GO | Services delivered under an outpatient occupational therapy plan of care | 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 | 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). | GC | This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician | 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). | XU | Unusual non-overlapping service, the use of a service that is distinct because it does not overlap usual components of the main service | 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.) | AQ | Physician providing a service in an unlisted health professional shortage area (hpsa) | KX | Requirements specified in the medical policy have been met | 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. | 25 | Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional on the same day of the procedure or other service: it may be necessary to indicate that on the day a procedure or service identified by a cpt code was performed, the patient's condition required a significant, separately identifiable e/m service above and beyond the other service provided or beyond the usual preoperative and postoperative care associated with the procedure that was performed. a significant, separately identifiable e/m service is defined or substantiated by documentation that satisfies the relevant criteria for the respective e/m service to be reported (see evaluation and management services guidelines for instructions on determining level of e/m service). the e/m service may be prompted by the symptom or condition for which the procedure and/or service was provided. as such, different diagnoses are not required for reporting of the e/m services on the same date. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 25 to the appropriate level of e/m service. note: this modifier is not used to report an e/m service that resulted in a decision to perform surgery. see modifier 57 for significant, separately identifiable non-e/m services, see modifier 59. | 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). | 53 | Discontinued procedure: under certain circumstances, the physician or other qualified health care professional may elect to terminate a surgical or diagnostic procedure. due to extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well being of the patient, it may be necessary to indicate that a surgical or diagnostic procedure was started but discontinued. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 53 to the code reported by the individual for the discontinued procedure. note: this modifier is not used to report the elective cancellation of a procedure prior to the patient's anesthesia induction and/or surgical preparation in the operating suite. for outpatient hospital/ambulatory surgery center (asc) 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). | 54 | Surgical care only: when 1 physician or other qualified health care professional performs a surgical procedure and another provides preoperative and/or postoperative management, surgical services may be identified by adding modifier 54 to the usual procedure number. | 56 | Preoperative management only: when 1 physician or other qualified health care professional performed the preoperative care and evaluation and another performed the surgical procedure, the preoperative component may be identified by adding modifier 56 to the usual procedure number. | 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. | 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.) | 80 | Assistant surgeon: surgical assistant services may be identified by adding modifier 80 to the usual procedure number(s). | 82 | Assistant surgeon (when qualified resident surgeon not available): the unavailability of a qualified resident surgeon is a prerequisite for use of modifier 82 appended to the usual procedure code number(s). | 97 | Rehabilitative services: when a service or procedure that may be either habilitative or rehabilitative in nature is provided for rehabilitative purposes, the physician or other qualified health care professional may add modifier 97 to the service or procedure code to indicate that the service or procedure provided was a rehabilitative service. rehabilitative services help an individual keep, get back, or improve skills and functioning for daily living that have been lost or impaired because the individual was sick, hurt, or disabled. | 99 | Multiple modifiers: under certain circumstances 2 or more modifiers may be necessary to completely delineate a service. in such situations modifier 99 should be added to the basic procedure, and other applicable modifiers may be listed as part of the description of the service. | AG | Primary physician | AM | Physician, team member service | AR | Physician provider services in a physician scarcity area | 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) | CG | Policy criteria applied | CO | Outpatient occupational therapy services furnished in whole or in part by an occupational therapy assistant | CR | Catastrophe/disaster related | ER | Items and services furnished by a provider-based, off-campus emergency department | ET | Emergency services | 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 | FS | Split (or shared) evaluation and management visit | GA | Waiver of liability statement issued as required by payer policy, individual case | GF | Non-physician (e.g. nurse practitioner (np), certified registered nurse anesthetist (crna), certified registered nurse (crn), clinical nurse specialist (cns), physician assistant (pa)) services in a critical access hospital | GJ | "opt out" physician or practitioner emergency or urgent service | GP | Services delivered under an outpatient physical 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 | GY | Item or service statutorily excluded, does not meet the definition of any medicare benefit or, for non-medicare insurers, is not a contract benefit | GZ | Item or service expected to be denied as not reasonable and necessary | NU | New equipment | PD | Diagnostic or related non diagnostic item or service provided in a wholly owned or operated entity to a patient who is admitted as an inpatient within 3 days | 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 | Q6 | Service furnished under a fee-for-time compensation 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 | SA | Nurse practitioner rendering service in collaboration with a physician | T1 | Left foot, second digit | T3 | Left foot, fourth digit | T5 | Right foot, great toe | T9 | Right foot, fifth digit | TR | School-based individualized education program (iep) services provided outside the public school district responsible for the student | TT | Individualized service provided to more than one patient in same setting | U7 | Medicaid level of care 7, as defined by each state | UA | Medicaid level of care 10, as defined by each state | UD | Medicaid level of care 13, as defined by each state | 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 | XE | Separate encounter, a service that is distinct because it occurred during a separate encounter | XP | Separate practitioner, a service that is distinct because it was performed by a different practitioner | XS | Separate structure, a service that is distinct because it was performed on a separate organ/structure |
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