LOCATION: Outpatient, Hospital
PATIENT: Beth Mahoney
PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN: Ronald Green, MD SURGEON: Mohomad
Almaz, MD
PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSES
1. Chondromalacia, left knee.
2. Torn left medial meniscus per MRI scan.
POSTOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Chondromalacia, left knee.
PROCEDURES PERFORMED
1. Examination, left knee, under anesthesia.
2. Arthroscopy, left knee, with debridement of
chondromalacia.
ANESTHESIA: General with endotracheal intubation.
FINDINGS: The patient was found to have significant
chondromalacia in all three compartments. She had some bare bone on
the femoral trochlear and significant fraying of the articular
cartilage on the patella, as well as on the medial femoral condyle.
The articular cartilage on the lateral femoral condyle was just
frayed slightly, but no large flaps of articular cartilage were
raised. She did, however, have some flaps of articular cartilage
raised on the floor of the lateral compartment. I could not find
any specific meniscal tears, but both medial and lateral menisci
had fringe tags, which we removed. The anterior cruciate ligament
was intact.
PROCEDURE: Under general anesthesia the patient’s left knee
was examined. She had no effusion. The collateral ligaments were
intact. Lachman test was negative, as was the pivot shift. McMurray
test was negative. We then prepped the patient’s left leg with
Betadine and draped it in a sterile fashion. An Esmarch bandage was
used to exsanguinate the leg, and a tourniquet on the thigh was
inflated to 300 mm Hg. The total tourniquet time was about 35
minutes.
Three portals were used for this procedure. The first was
placed along the superior anterolateral aspect of the knee, the
second was placed along the inferior anterolateral aspect, and the
third along the inferior anteromedial aspect of the knee. We
distended the knee with lactated Ringer’s solution. We examined the
suprapatellar pouch and the medial and lateral gutters. We
immediately noted significant chondromalacia involving the
patellofemoral joint. There were large flaps of articular cartilage
hanging off the articular surface of the patella and actually an
area of bare bone on the trochlea, which was close to the lateral
femoral condyle. We used the shaver to trim the articular
cartilage, which was hanging from the subchondral bone. We trimmed
the leading edge of the fat pad slightly as well.
I then examined the medial compartment and probed the medial
meniscus. We could not identify a specific tear of the medial
meniscus, although there were multiple fringe tags, which were
removed with the shaver. She does have, however, significant
chondromalacia involving the weight-bearing surface of the medial
femoral condyle. There were flaps of articular cartilage that were
loose and just laying on the subchondral surface. We used the
shaver to trim these loose bits of articular cartilage.
We then examined the notch area and probed the anterior
cruciate ligament. It was intact. We then examined the lateral
compartment and probed the lateral meniscus. The lateral meniscus
was intact, although there were several fringe tags, which were
removed. She did have some raised flaps of articular cartilage on
the lateral tibial plateau, and these were trimmed with the shaver.
The articular cartilage in the lateral femoral condyle appeared to
be in relatively good condition with only minor fraying.
At this point, we thoroughly irrigated the knee and looked for
any remaining loose fragments. We then drained the knee and
injected 80 mg of Depo-Medrol with 2 cc of 1% Xylocaine. The
hardware was removed and the skin incisions were closed using 4– 0
nylon suture. Sterile dressings were applied under a 6-inch Ace
wrap. She was then awakened and taken from the operating room in
good condition, breathing spontaneously.
FINAL SPONGE AND NEEDLE COUNT: Correct.
MEDICATIONS: She was given IV Kefzol preoperatively, and she
will be continued on Keflex for 5 days postoperatively as well. She
will also be started on some aspirin postoperatively.
Pathology Report Later Indicated: Chondromalacia.
Abstracting & Coding Questions:
1. Was this a diagnostic or surgical arthroscopy?
2. What is chondromalacia?
3. Debridement of the chondromalacia is also referred to
as
4. Was the diagnosis for the meniscal tear reported?
5. What CPT code(s) would be reported for this case?
6. What ICD-10-CM code(s) would be reported for this
case?