CPT 27447: Total Knee Arthroplasty
Arthroplasty of the knee, condyle and plateau, medial and lateral compartments with or without patella resurfacing (total knee arthroplasty).
Documentation Requirements
- Pre-operative diagnosis with radiographic confirmation
- Failed conservative management documented
- Informed consent with surgical risks
- Operative technique (approach, implant type, components)
- Intraoperative findings
- Implant details (manufacturer, size, lot numbers)
- Estimated blood loss and complications
- Post-operative plan and weight-bearing status
Billing Tips
- Includes 90-day global period
- Pre-operative evaluation billed separately (99024 during global)
- Document medical necessity (failed PT, injections, bracing)
- Bilateral TKA same session uses modifier 50
- Implant costs may be separately reimbursable for hospitals
- Revision TKA uses different codes (27486-27487)
Frequently Asked Questions
What operative note elements are required for TKA?
Document pre-op diagnosis, approach, bone cuts, implant details (manufacturer, sizes, lot numbers), ligament balancing, patellar resurfacing decision, ROM achieved, EBL, and post-op plan. Scribeable structures all these elements.
How does Scribeable help with surgical documentation?
Scribeable captures operative dictation in real time and generates comprehensive surgical notes with all required elements — technique, implant details, findings, and post-operative orders — for compliant 27447 billing.