ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

0PC70ZZ

Extirpation Glenoid Cavity, Right to No Qualifier with No Device, Open Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body SystemP Upper Bones
OperationC Extirpation
Body Part7 Glenoid Cavity, Right
Approach0 Open
DeviceZ No Device
QualifierZ No Qualifier

Operation Definition

Taking or cutting out solid matter from a body part

Procedure Overview

Extirpation is the removal of solid matter that does not belong in an upper bone, such as a fragment of dead bone left over from infection, a blood clot, cement, or a foreign object like a bullet or broken piece of surgical hardware. Unlike cutting out living bone tissue, this procedure focuses on taking out material that has formed or lodged within the bone, often through the same access point used for drainage or debridement.

This is frequently seen in the management of chronic osteomyelitis, where a sequestrum of dead bone must be physically removed for the infection to resolve, or in trauma cases where retained metal or debris needs to be taken out of the sternum, ribs, clavicle, or a limb bone. The surrounding healthy bone is left in place.

Anatomy & Axis Detail

Glenoid Cavity, Right

The right glenoid cavity is the shallow, pear-shaped socket on the lateral scapula that articulates with the humeral head to form the shoulder joint. Extirpation of this site addresses abnormal material within the socket itself, such as loose osteochondral fragments, calcific deposits, or cement debris from a prior arthroplasty, rather than a broader resection of surrounding bone. Because the glenoid is a small, curved articular surface intimately related to the labrum and joint capsule, this procedure is frequently performed arthroscopically with fluoroscopic or direct visual guidance to locate and remove the material precisely. Reporting should distinguish this body part from the scapula generally, since the glenoid cavity has its own designated value, and should reflect whether the extirpated material was traumatic debris, degenerative loose bodies, or infected material tied to a prosthetic joint.

Approach: Open

Open approach means the surgeon cuts through skin, mucous membrane, or other tissue layers to physically expose the target site to view before performing the procedure. It gives direct visualization and hands-on access, distinguishing it from Percutaneous approaches where instruments pass through a small puncture without exposing the site. Open is typical for procedures needing wide access, such as most laparotomies.

Coding & Documentation

The operative note should identify what solid material was removed and confirm it was abnormal matter rather than a planned portion of the bone itself, since that distinction separates Extirpation from Excision. The specific bone involved and the nature of the material, whether necrotic bone, cement, or a foreign body, should be documented.

A recurring coding mistake is applying Excision when a sequestrectomy is actually described, since removing dead or infected bone debris is Extirpation even though a cutting instrument may be used to free the fragment. Coders should also verify that a device removal, such as taking out failed hardware, is not more accurately captured under the Removal root operation instead.

Commonly Confused With

ExcisionExcision is the closest neighbor and the one most often mistaken for Extirpation; the deciding factor is whether the material removed was a designed portion of the bone itself, which is Excision, versus abnormal or foreign solid matter that had accumulated within it, which is Extirpation.
RemovalRemoval applies specifically to taking out a previously placed device, not native or pathologic material.
DrainageDrainage is distinguished by removing liquid or gas rather than solid matter.