Guidance
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued full guidance to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on Autologous blood injection for tendinopathy.
This document replaces previous guidance on autologus blood injection (NICE interventional procedure guidance 279, January 2009).
Description
Tendons are bands of fibrous connective tissue that connect muscle to bone. ‘Tendinopathy’ describes a range of conditions that affect tendons, usually caused by overuse. The most common tendons affected are in the elbow, the heel and the knee. Symptoms include pain, weakness and stiffness. In autologous blood injection, blood is taken from the patient and re-injected around the affected tendon. Sometimes the blood is separated into red blood cells and platelets (cell fragments that produce substances called growth factors) before injecting the sample containing mostly platelets. The aim is to supply the tendon with growth factors that start the healing process.
Coding recommendations
T74.6 Autologous blood injection into tendon
Chapter ‘Z’ site code to identify tendon
Y53.2 Approach to organ under ultrasonic control is assigned following T74.6 when performed under ultrasonic guidance.