01BQ3ZZ
Excision Sacral Plexus to No Qualifier with No Device, Percutaneous Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | 1 Peripheral Nervous System |
| Operation | B Excision |
| Body Part | Q Sacral Plexus |
| Approach | 3 Percutaneous |
| Device | Z No Device |
| Qualifier | Z No Qualifier |
Operation Definition
Cutting out or off, without replacement, a portion of a body part
Procedure Overview
This family describes procedures that remove a portion of a peripheral nerve or its associated tissue, such as taking a small nerve biopsy to diagnose conditions like vasculitis or amyloidosis, or removing a segment of nerve that contains a benign tumor such as a schwannoma or neurofibroma. Unlike a full nerve resection performed to eliminate the nerve's function entirely, this operation takes out only part of the structure while leaving the rest intact.
Patients typically undergo this procedure either because a diagnosis cannot be made without direct tissue sampling, or because a growth on the nerve needs to be removed for symptom relief or to rule out malignancy. Recovery depends heavily on which nerve was involved and how large a segment was taken, since sensory or motor deficits can result even from a partial excision.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Sacral Plexus
The sacral plexus forms from the lumbosacral trunk and the S1-S4 nerve roots on the anterior surface of the sacrum, giving rise to the sciatic, pudendal, and other nerves that supply the pelvis, buttock, and lower limb. Excision at this level is a major undertaking, generally reserved for tumors arising within the plexus itself, such as schwannomas or malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, or for extensive pelvic malignancies that have invaded the plexus and require sacrifice of nerve tissue for oncologic clearance. Because the plexus lies deep within the pelvis near the sacral bone, rectum, and major vessels, this procedure is typically performed by a multidisciplinary surgical team. The functional consequences can be extensive, potentially affecting hip extension, knee flexion, and bowel, bladder, or sexual function, depending on which roots are involved.
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.
Coding & Documentation
Coders assign this family when the operative report describes cutting out part of a nerve or a lesion attached to it, with no replacement material used. The pathology report and surgeon's description of margins help confirm that a distinct portion, rather than the entire nerve, was removed. A frequent assignment error is applying Excision when the whole nerve was actually transected and not reconnected, which is more accurately captured as Resection in body systems that support it, or confusing a diagnostic nerve biopsy (still Excision) with an incisional biopsy of an unrelated soft tissue mass nearby. Documentation should also clarify whether the nerve itself or a surrounding structure, like a neuroma confined to scar tissue, was the target.