2025 CPT code 26550
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Surgery - Surgical Procedures on the Musculoskeletal System Musculoskeletal System Feed
Pollicization of a digit; surgical creation of a thumb from an index finger.
Modifiers may be applicable depending on the circumstances.Consult current CPT guidelines for appropriate modifier usage (e.g., modifier 50 for bilateral procedure, modifier 76 for repeat procedure).
Medical necessity is established by the presence of a congenitally absent or severely malformed thumb resulting in significant functional impairment.The procedure is aimed at restoring hand function and improving the patient's quality of life.
The surgeon performs the procedure, including incisions, bone resection and reshaping, tendon and muscle rearrangement, and closure.Post-operative care and rehabilitation are also part of the clinical responsibility.
In simple words: This surgery creates a thumb using the index finger. The index finger is moved to the thumb position, reshaped, and its muscles and tendons are rearranged to work like a thumb.It's done when someone is born without a thumb or has a severely damaged one.
Pollicization is a surgical procedure where the index finger is repositioned and modified to function as a thumb. This involves shortening, angulation, and rotation of the index finger to place it in the thumb position.Tendons and muscles are rearranged to enable thumb-like movement.The procedure is typically performed in cases of congenital absence or significant defects of the thumb.
Example 1: A child born with a congenitally absent thumb undergoes pollicization to create a functional thumb from the index finger., A patient sustains a severe traumatic thumb amputation, and pollicization is chosen as the reconstructive option to replace the missing thumb., A child has a severely hypoplastic thumb, where the thumb is underdeveloped and non-functional.Pollicization is selected to improve hand function.
Preoperative imaging (X-rays), operative notes detailing the surgical steps, post-operative imaging to assess healing, and physical therapy notes documenting rehabilitation progress.
** The success of pollicization depends on various factors, including patient age, the condition of the index finger, and the skill of the surgeon.Post-operative therapy is crucial for optimal functional outcome.The procedure is typically not performed on adults due to potential difficulties with adaptation and functional outcomes.Age appropriateness should always be considered.
- Revenue Code: P3D (MAJOR PROCEDURE, ORTHOPEDIC - OTHER)
- RVU: This information is not available in the provided source. Consult the CMS website for the most up-to-date RVU values.
- Global Days: The global period for this procedure is not specified in the provided sources.Consult current CPT guidelines for clarification.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: This information is not directly available in the sources. Consult current CPT guidelines for appropriate modifier usage.
- Fee Schedule: The sources do not provide historical fee schedule information.Consult payer-specific fee schedules or historical CPT data.
- Specialties:Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center