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Dr. James Bruffey, MD

Dr. James Bruffey, MD

La Jolla, CA

Accepting patients

Affiliated with a Castle Connolly Top Hospital

    Who is Dr. Bruffey, Orthopedic Surgeon in La Jolla, CA?

    Dr. James Bruffey, MD is an Orthopedic Surgeon, who primarily practices in La Jolla, CA with 1 additional practice location. He is board certified. Dr. Bruffey graduated from Ohio State University / College of Medicine and completed his residency at Univ Ca San Diego Med Ctr, Orthopedic Surgery Univ Ca San Diego Med Ctr, General Surgery. Dr. Bruffey is fluent in English, and is currently seeing new patients. Dr. Bruffey’s practice accepts Kaiser Permanente, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Cigna and other major insurance plans. To book an appointment or to confirm insurance options, please call Dr. Bruffey’s office at (858) 455-9100.

    What are Areas of Expertise for Dr. Bruffey?

    Dr. James Bruffey, MD is a highly-rated, board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon known for expertly diagnosing, treating, and managing a wide array of related conditions or procedures. Utilizing the latest medical advancements and evidence-based practices, Dr. Bruffey empowers patients to confidently navigate their health journey, specializing in Cervical Myelopathy, Scoliosis, Spinal Disorders, Spinal Trauma, Spondylolisthesis, or comprehensive wellness support. Serving the La Jolla/CA community, Dr. Bruffey is dedicated to enhancing lives through expert, patient-centered care.

    Where did Dr. Bruffey go to medical school and complete their residency?

    • Fellowship: Scripps Clinic, Orthopaedic Surgery, Spine

    • Residency: Univ Ca San Diego Med Ctr, Orthopedic Surgery Univ Ca San Diego Med Ctr, General Surgery | Ucsd Medical Center | University of California, San Diego | University California | Scripps Clinic | UCSD-Kaiser San Diego

    • Medical School: Oh State Univ Coll of Med, Columbus Oh | Ohio State University College of Medicine And Public Health,Columbus, Ohio, United States | Ohio State University / College of Medicine

    Is Dr. Bruffey board certified as an Orthopedic Surgeon?

    Yes, Dr. James Bruffey, MD is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery , American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery since 2002

    What languages does Dr. Bruffey speak?

    Dr. Bruffey and their clinical team can communicate with patients in the following languages:

    • English

    What conditions does Dr. Bruffey treat?

    As an Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Bruffey diagnoses, treats, and manages a wide range of conditions. This condition information is derived from anonymized insurance claims and highlights the medical conditions most commonly treated by Dr. Bruffey. It provides insight into the doctor’s areas of experience and expertise based on real-world patient encounters from the past two years, updated quarterly.

    Also known as:

    • Lower Back Spinal Stenosis
    • Lower Back Spinal Stenosis with Nerve Pain in Legs
    • Spinal Stenosis
    • Narrowing of Lower Back Spinal Canal
    • Lumbar Spinal Canal Narrowing
    • Lumbar Stenosis
    • Lumbar Spinal Stenosis with Claudication
    • Narrowing of Lower Back Spinal Canal with Leg Pain
    • Nerve Compression in Lower Back with Walking Pain

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • M48061: Spinal stenosis, lumbar region without neurogenic claudication
    • M48062: Spinal stenosis, lumbar region with neurogenic claudication

    Also known as:

    • Joint Fusion Status
    • Surgical Joint Fusion
    • Arthrodesis History
    • Fused Joint

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • Z981: Arthrodesis status

    Also known as:

    • Lower Back Disc Degeneration
    • Spine Injuries and Disorder
    • Degenerative Disc Disease in Lower Back
    • Worn Lumbar Discs
    • Lumbar Disc Wear and Tear

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • M5136: Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar region

    Also known as:

    • Other Surgical Aftercare
    • After Surgery
    • General post-operative care
    • Unspecified surgical recovery
    • Surgical follow-up

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • Z4889: Encounter for other specified surgical aftercare

    Also known as:

    • Spondylolisthesis of the Lower Back
    • Spine Injuries and Disorder
    • Slipped Vertebra in Lower Back
    • Lumbar Spondylolisthesis
    • Lower Back Spinal Slip

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • M4316: Spondylolisthesis, lumbar region

    Also known as:

    • Low Back Pain
    • Back Pain
    • Lumbago
    • Lower Back Ache
    • Backache

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • M5450: Low back pain, unspecified

    Also known as:

    • Pinched Nerve in Lower Back
    • Back Pain
    • Peripheral Nerve Disorder
    • Lumbar Radiculopathy
    • Lower Back Nerve Compression
    • Compressed Nerve in Lower Back

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • M5416: Radiculopathy, lumbar region

    Also known as:

    • Other Orthopedic Aftercare
    • General orthopedic recovery
    • Musculoskeletal post-op care
    • Bone and joint follow-up

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • Z4789: Encounter for other orthopedic aftercare

    Also known as:

    • Tailbone Disorder
    • Spine Injuries and Disorder
    • Coccyx Disorder
    • Sacrococcygeal Pain
    • Tailbone Pain

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • M533: Sacrococcygeal disorders, not elsewhere classified

    What procedures does Dr. Bruffey perform?

    As an Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Bruffey performs a variety of medical procedures. This procedure information is derived from anonymized insurance claims and highlights the medical procedures most commonly performed by Dr. Bruffey. It provides insight into the doctor’s areas of experience and expertise based on real-world patient encounters from the past two years, updated quarterly.

    Also known as:

    • Lumbar Spine Decompression Surgery
    • Laminectomy
    • Facetectomy
    • Foraminotomy
    • Spinal Stenosis Surgery

    CPT Codes:

    • 63047: Laminectomy, facetectomy and foraminotomy (unilateral or bilateral with decompression of spinal cord, cauda equina and/or nerve root[s], [eg, spinal or lateral recess stenosis]), single vertebral segment; lumbar

    Also known as:

    • Additional Spinal Decompression Segment
    • Laminectomy for Spinal Stenosis
    • Facetectomy for Nerve Decompression
    • Foraminotomy for Pinched Nerve

    CPT Codes:

    • 63048: Laminectomy, facetectomy and foraminotomy (unilateral or bilateral with decompression of spinal cord, cauda equina and/or nerve root[s], [eg, spinal or lateral recess stenosis]), single vertebral segment; each additional vertebral segment, cervical, thoracic, or lumbar (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)

    Also known as:

    • Computer-Assisted Spinal Surgery Guidance
    • Spinal Navigation Surgery
    • Stereotactic Spinal Procedure
    • Image-Guided Spine Surgery

    CPT Codes:

    • 61783: Stereotactic computer-assisted (navigational) procedure; spinal (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)

    Also known as:

    • Lumbar Disc Herniation Surgery
    • Lumbar Laminotomy
    • Herniated Disc Decompression (Lower Back)
    • Microdiscectomy (Lumbar)

    CPT Codes:

    • 63030: Laminotomy (hemilaminectomy), with decompression of nerve root(s), including partial facetectomy, foraminotomy and/or excision of herniated intervertebral disc; 1 interspace, lumbar

    Also known as:

    • Spinal Cage Insertion for Fusion
    • Neck Spinal Fusion (Cervical)
    • Interbody Device Implantation
    • Spinal Fusion with Cage
    • Synthetic Disc Space Device
    • Cervical interbody fusion
    • Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)
    • Neck vertebrae fusion

    CPT Codes:

    • 22853: Insertion of interbody biomechanical device(s) (eg, synthetic cage, mesh) with integral anterior instrumentation for device anchoring (eg, screws, flanges), when performed, to intervertebral disc space in conjunction with interbody arthrodesis, each interspace (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
    • 22551: Arthrodesis, anterior interbody, including disc space preparation, discectomy, osteophytectomy and decompression of spinal cord and/or nerve roots; cervical below C2

    Also known as:

    • Minimally Invasive Sacroiliac Joint Fusion
    • SI Joint Fusion (MIS)
    • Percutaneous Sacroiliac Arthrodesis
    • Image-Guided SI Joint Fusion
    • Sacroiliac Joint Stabilization

    CPT Codes:

    • 27279: Arthrodesis, Sacroiliac Joint, Percutaneous Or Minimally Invasive (Indirect Visualization), With Image Guidance, Includes Obtaining Bone Graft When Performed, And Placement Of Transfixation Device

    Also known as:

    • Own Bone Graft for Spine Surgery
    • Autologous Spine Graft
    • Morselized Bone Graft
    • Spine Fusion Bone Graft
    • Bone Harvest for Spine

    CPT Codes:

    • 20937: Autograft for spine surgery only (includes harvesting the graft); morselized (through separate skin or fascial incision) (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)

    Also known as:

    • Spinal Instrumentation (Anterior)
    • Anterior Spinal Fixation
    • Spine Stabilization Surgery
    • Vertebral Segment Instrumentation
    • Spinal Fusion Hardware

    CPT Codes:

    • 22845: Anterior instrumentation; 2 to 3 vertebral segments (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)

    Also known as:

    • Pulse Oximetry
    • Oxygen Saturation Test
    • Oximeter Reading
    • Blood Oxygen Level Test

    CPT Codes:

    • 94760: Noninvasive ear or pulse oximetry for oxygen saturation; single determination

    Also known as:

    • CPAP Initiation and Management
    • CPAP Setup
    • Sleep Apnea Machine Setup
    • Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy

    CPT Codes:

    • 94660: Continuous positive airway pressure ventilation (CPAP), initiation and management

    Does Dr. Bruffey accept my insurance?

    Dr. Bruffey accepts most major insurance plans. Important: Please call our office at (858) 455-9100 before your appointment to verify that your specific plan and network are accepted.

    What insurance plans does Dr. Bruffey accept in La Jolla, CA?

    Dr. Bruffey in La Jolla, CA accepts plans from many carriers. While this list is updated regularly, it is not a guarantee of coverage.

    Top Insurances

    • All Other Third Party

    • Centene

    • Crown Cork and Seal Company

    • Department of Defense / Tricare

    • Express Scripts

    • Federal Employee Program

    • HealthComp

    • Medicare

    • State of Tennessee

    • UnitedHealthcare

    View All Insurances

    Where is Dr. Bruffey's office located?

    Dr. James Bruffey's Primary Practice

    10666 N Torrey Pines Rd

    La Jolla, CA 92037

    (858) 455-9100

    Get Directions

    Dr. James Bruffey's Practice 2

    310 Santa Fe Dr Ste 204

    Encinitas, CA 92024

    Get Directions

    What is Dr. Bruffey's NPI number?An National Provider Identifier (NPI) is a unique ID number that identifies doctors and healthcare providers nationwide.

    Dr. Bruffey's National Provider Identifier (NPI) number is 1447225446.

    What common questions do patients ask about Dr. Bruffey?

    Here are answers to patients Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) about Dr. Bruffey

    What is Dr. James Bruffey's specialty?

    Dr. Bruffey is a Orthopedic Surgeon near La Jolla, CA. An orthopedic surgeon has specialization in preserving, investigating, and restoring the form and function of the extremities, spine, and related structures through medical, surgical, and physical methods. They care for patients with musculoskeletal issues, including congenital deformities, trauma, infections, tumors, metabolic disturbances, and degenerative diseases affecting the spine, hands, feet, knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows in both children and adults. Additionally, orthopedic surgeons address primary and secondary muscular problems and the impact of central or peripheral nervous system lesions on the musculoskeletal system. Contact Dr. Bruffey to book an appointment today.

    Is this Dr. James Bruffey affiliated with a ranked Castle Connolly Top Hospital?

    Yes, Dr. Bruffey is affiliated with Scripps Green Hospital, Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla which are a Castle Connolly Top Hospitals. Castle Connolly Top Hospitals are healthcare institutions recognized for their excellence in specific medical procedures and overall patient care. They are identified through a rigorous peer nomination process, evaluating factors like patient outcomes, quality of care, and expertise. The list recognizes hospitals that excel in 20 or more specific medical procedures, representing the top 25% nationwide. Castle Connolly Top Hospitals

    Where can I learn more about Orthopedic Surgeon?

    Explore Orthopedic Surgeon with insights from trusted medical experts on EverydayHealth.com, where you'll find the most relevant content and helpful condition guides for up-to date information about symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and more. See all our health guides to find trusted information on medical conditions from our experts at Everyday Health.

    Is James Bruffey accepting new patients in La Jolla, CA?

    Yes, Dr. James Bruffey is accepting new patients at this time.

    Does Dr. James Bruffey offer online booking?

    Please contact Dr. Bruffey's office at (858) 455-9100 for information about online booking, telehealth, or to schedule an appointment.

    How can I make an appointment with James Bruffey?

    Please contact Dr. Bruffey's office at (858) 455-9100 for information regarding telehealth appointment availability or for scheduling assistance.

    Which board certifications does Dr. James Bruffey have?

    Dr. James Bruffey is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.

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