ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

0C7B3DZ

Dilation Parotid Duct, Right to No Qualifier with Intraluminal Device, Percutaneous Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body SystemC Mouth and Throat
Operation7 Dilation
Body PartB Parotid Duct, Right
Approach3 Percutaneous
DeviceD Intraluminal Device
QualifierZ No Qualifier

Operation Definition

Expanding an orifice or the lumen of a tubular body part

Procedure Overview

Dilation widens a narrowed passage in the mouth or throat, most commonly an esophageal or pharyngeal stricture that has developed from scarring, prior surgery, radiation, or chronic reflux. The narrowed area is stretched open using a balloon, series of graduated dilators, or a similar instrument passed through the mouth, restoring a more normal diameter so food and liquids can pass comfortably again.

Patients typically undergo this procedure because of progressive difficulty swallowing, and relief is often immediate, though strictures can recur and repeat dilations are sometimes needed over time. It is generally performed endoscopically as an outpatient procedure with sedation.

Anatomy & Axis Detail

Parotid Duct, Right

The right parotid duct, or Stensen's duct, carries saliva from the parotid gland forward across the masseter muscle to open into the oral cavity opposite the upper second molar. Dilation of this duct is performed when a stricture, often from a prior stone, inflammation, or scarring, narrows the lumen and impairs salivary outflow, causing recurrent swelling and pain, particularly with eating. The procedure typically involves passing dilators or a balloon catheter, often under sialendoscopic guidance, to stretch the narrowed segment and restore ductal patency without cutting or removing tissue. Because the duct's papilla and course are small and can be difficult to cannulate, precise identification of the stricture site is important, and documentation should confirm the duct was widened in place rather than surgically incised or excised.

Approach: Percutaneous

Percutaneous describes entry by needle or instrument puncture through the skin or mucous membrane to reach the site of the procedure, without cutting the tissue open or using a visualizing scope. It differs from Open in that the site itself is never exposed, and from Percutaneous Endoscopic in that no endoscope is used to see internal structures. Common examples include needle biopsies and injections.

Device: Intraluminal Device

Intraluminal Device denotes a single device, such as a stent or occlusion device, positioned within the lumen of a tubular body part like a vessel, duct, or airway to maintain patency or occlude flow. It carries no drug coating or radioactivity, distinguishing it from the drug-eluting, radioactive, and bioactive intraluminal device values, and from Extraluminal Device, which sits outside rather than inside the lumen.

Coding & Documentation

The coder should confirm from the operative report that an existing lumen was mechanically widened, and identify whether a device such as a balloon or stent was left in place afterward, since this affects the device value assigned. The approach is almost always Via Natural or Artificial Opening Endoscopic when performed through the mouth with a scope. A frequent error is coding Dilation when the procedure description actually indicates the passage was newly created or rerouted, which belongs under Bypass, or missing a temporary intraluminal device left behind after balloon dilation. Clear documentation of the specific site dilated, such as the pharyngoesophageal junction versus a lower esophageal location outside this body system, is essential for correct code selection.

Commonly Confused With

BypassDilation is frequently confused with Bypass, since both can restore passage through an obstructed area, but Dilation stretches the existing lumen while Bypass constructs an entirely separate route around it.
ExtirpationIt is also distinguished from Extirpation, which removes solid matter such as a foreign body or clot obstructing the passage rather than stretching the passage's walls.