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between 30 to 45 seconds), is done percutaneously under conventional ultrasound guidance via a stab incision with a No. 11 blade knife. Surgeons use the system's MicroTip, essentially a 1.3-inch long, 18gauge needle, to perform ultrasonic microresection of diseased tissue.
Facilities are reimbursed under CPT codes for percutaneous tenotomy and can attach diagnosis codes and interventional codes for the ultrasound guidance, according to a Tenex rep. The company sets the
Medicare reimbursement floor for elbow treatments at $2,300 for HOPDs and $1,294 for ASCs, with additional payment potential from private insurers. The unit's handpiece costs less than $700 per case, and the company places the system's box free of charge.
There's no doubt you want to avoid surgery whenever possible in treating lateral epicondylitis, for example. Although symptoms usually resolve with non-operative treatment, some patients don't improve with physical therapy, bracing or injections.
This technique showed evidence of sustained efficacy in 19 of 20 patients for at least 1 year, according to a retrospective study published in the Jan. 9 issue of the American Journal of Sports Medicine. I'd be interested to see prospective comparative studies in the future.
Covidien
Kendall SCD Homecare Program
Physicians place pneumatic compression devices on patients' legs to prevent blood clots and reduce deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary emboli risks. Those risks persist, however, when patients leave your facility, especially as the lengths of post-op stays continue to decrease and many complex procedures are moving to the outpatient arena. With the Kendall SCD Homecare Program, Covidien wants to bring DVT and, ultimately, PE prevention into patients' homes, creating a post-discharge continuum of care.
