Knee Arthroplasty CPT Coding Guideline

Post Last Updated on 17 Feb 2026

What is Knee Arthroplasty?

Knee arthroplasty also known as knee replacement surgery, so it is the replacement of the natural knee joint to artificial knee component made up of plastic,metal or ceramic.

What are the medical necessity for knee arthroplasty ?

Ostoearthritis is the major cause of replacing of knee joint.

What are the type of knee arthroplasty ?

There are two types of knee arthroplasty

1. Partial (Unicompartment ) Knee Arthroplasty (UKA)

2. Total knee Arthroplasty (TKA)

Artificial Knee Joint

CPT Code range for Knee Arthroplasty Procedure

Arthroplasty

27440 : Arthroplasty, knee, tibial plateau

27441 : Arthroplasty, knee, tibial plateau; with debridement and partial synovectomy

27442 : Arthroplasty, femoral condyles or tibial plateau(s), knee

27443 : Arthroplasty, femoral condyles or tibial plateau(s), knee; with debridement and partial synovectomy

27446 : Arthroplasty, knee, condyle and plateau; medial OR lateral compartment

27447 : Arthroplasty, knee, condyle and plateau; medial AND lateral compartments with or without patella resurfacing (total knee arthroplasty)

Revision

27486 : Revision of total knee arthroplasty, with or without allograft; 1 component

27487 : Revision of total knee arthroplasty, with or without allograft; femoral and entire tibial component

Removal

27488 : Removal of prosthesis, including total knee prosthesis, methylmethacrylate with or without insertion of spacer, knee

Coding Guideline for Knee Arthroplasty

Scenario 1: If UKA converted to TKA then need to add modifier 52 along with CPT.

Scenario 2: If Arthroplasty is done previously and patient come for removal of implant then nedd to code 27488.

Scenario 3: If revision done along with removal of implant then code for Revision only.

Scenario 4: If patient has previousl arthrtoplasty of knee and patient came for

1.Irrigation and debridment then code for Arthrotomy

2.Infected implant removal and antibiotic spacer is inserted then code both seperately.

3.Infected implant removed and a new implant placed then code for revision arthroplasty CPT.

Key point to check during coding of arthroplasty

1.First check which component is replaced in Op report.

2.Need to check is this revision or new placement of implant.

Note: In Partitial Knee Arthroplasty, both the component of tibial and femur are replaced in either medial side or in lateral side.