Ask Dr. Z

We’re looking to see if the following operation was a bone debridement of an infected below-knee amputation stump (11044) or a re-amputation (27886). Only the tibia was cut, not the tibia and fibula per the code description. Would it be appropriate to report code 27886 with a -52 modifier for reduced services?

“I then incised the skin on the anterior flap transversely and excised the portion of the skin so as to expose the bone more proximally as well. I then used an oscillating saw to transect the bone where it was a little healthier and free of purulence, on the tibia only. As such, I basically just revised the below-knee amputation more proximally; however, there was no tissue left to flap."