AAPC Certified Professional Coder (CPC) — Question 12

A patient was brought to the operating room to repair a meniscal tear. An arthroscope is inserted into the trocar to examine the knee. Tibial plateau was in good condition. The posterior horn of the medial meniscus showed a complex tear. Using basket forceps and a full radius resector, the tear is debrided back to a healthy peripheral rim. The lateral meniscus was intact without evidence of tears.
What CPT® code is reported for the repair?

Answer options

• A. 29881
• B. 27405
• C. 29880
• D. 27403

Correct answer: A

Explanation

The correct CPT® code is 29881, which corresponds to the repair of a meniscal tear using an arthroscope. The other options do not apply to meniscal repairs; for instance, 27405 and 27403 are related to knee arthroplasties, while 29880 refers to a different type of meniscectomy that does not cover the repair performed in this scenario.