© Copyright 2025 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
The procedure described by CPT® Code 25425 involves the surgical repair of a bone defect located in either the radius or ulna, which is not attributed to a nonunion or malunion of a fracture. This repair is accomplished using an autograft, which is a graft taken from the patient's own body. The process begins with the preparation of the defect site, ensuring that it is suitable for the grafting procedure. An autograft is typically harvested from the iliac crest, a common donor site due to its accessibility and the quality of bone available. To obtain the graft, a skin incision is made over the iliac crest, and the underlying muscle is carefully stripped away to expose the bone surface. The surgeon then harvests either cortical bone, which is the dense outer surface of the bone, or cancellous bone, which is the spongy inner tissue. The harvested bone is then shaped and sized to fit the defect precisely, or in some cases, cancellous bone may be morcellized, meaning it is broken down into smaller pieces and packed into the defect. To ensure stability and proper healing of the graft, internal fixation methods, such as pins or wires, may be employed as necessary. Additionally, a compression plate and screws or other forms of internal fixation are utilized to stabilize the bone during the recovery process. This procedure is specifically coded as 25425 for repairs involving a defect in either the radius or ulna, while 25426 is designated for repairs involving defects in both bones.
© Copyright 2025 Coding Ahead. All rights reserved.
The procedure associated with CPT® Code 25425 is indicated for the repair of a bone defect in the radius or ulna that is not due to a nonunion or malunion of a fracture. This may include situations where there is a loss of bone integrity due to trauma, infection, or other pathological conditions that necessitate the use of an autograft for reconstruction.
The surgical procedure begins with the identification and preparation of the defect site in the radius or ulna. The surgeon ensures that the area is clean and ready for the grafting process. Following this, an autograft is harvested from the iliac crest, which involves making a skin incision over the iliac crest. The surgeon carefully strips the muscle away from the bone surface to expose it. Once the bone is accessible, the surgeon harvests either cortical bone, which provides strength, or cancellous bone, which is more flexible and can be morcellized. The harvested bone is then shaped to match the size and contour of the defect in the radius or ulna. If cancellous bone is used, it may be morcellized into smaller pieces and packed into the defect to promote healing. After the graft is placed, internal fixation methods, such as pins or wires, may be utilized to secure the graft in position. Additionally, a compression plate and screws or other internal fixation devices are applied to stabilize the bone and ensure proper alignment during the healing process.
After the procedure, the patient will require monitoring for any signs of complications, such as infection or graft failure. Post-operative care typically includes pain management, wound care, and possibly physical therapy to restore function. The recovery period may vary depending on the extent of the surgery and the individual patient's healing process. Follow-up appointments will be necessary to assess the healing of the graft and the stability of the bone repair.
| Short Descr | REPAIR/GRAFT RADIUS OR ULNA | Medium Descr | REPAIR DEFECT W/AUTOGRAFT RADIUS/ULNA | Long Descr | Repair of defect with autograft; radius OR ulna | Status Code | Active Code | Global Days | 090 - Major Surgery | 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) | 2 - Payment restriction for assistants at surgery does not apply to this procedure... | Co-Surgeons (62) | 1 - Co-surgeons could be paid, though supporting documentation is required... | Team Surgery (66) | 0 - Team surgeons not permitted for this procedure. | Diagnostic Imaging Family | 99 - Concept Does Not Apply | APC Status Indicator | Hospital Part B services paid through a comprehensive APC | ASC Payment Indicator | Device-intensive procedure added to ASC list in CY 2008 or later; paid at adjusted rate. | Type of Service (TOS) | 2 - Surgery | Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) | P3D - Major procedure, orthopedic - other | MUE | 1 | CCS Clinical Classification | 161 - Other OR therapeutic procedures on bone |
This is a primary code that can be used with these additional add-on codes.
| 20703 | Add-on Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N Removal of drug-delivery device(s), intramedullary (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure) |
| 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). | 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). | 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. | AS | Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery | LT | Left side (used to identify procedures performed on the left side of the body) | RT | Right side (used to identify procedures performed on the right side of the body) |
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| Pre-1990 | Added | Code added. |
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