ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

0FC10ZZ

Extirpation Liver, Right Lobe to No Qualifier with No Device, Open Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body SystemF Hepatobiliary System and Pancreas
OperationC Extirpation
Body Part1 Liver, Right Lobe
Approach0 Open
DeviceZ No Device
QualifierZ No Qualifier

Operation Definition

Taking or cutting out solid matter from a body part

Procedure Overview

Extirpation covers taking solid material out of the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, or pancreas that doesn't belong there, most often gallstones or bile duct stones, but also blood clots, sludge, or other debris obstructing a duct. Unlike excision, nothing that is normally part of the organ is cut away; the goal is simply to clear an obstruction.

This type of procedure is typically performed when a stone has lodged in the common bile duct or cystic duct, causing pain, jaundice, or infection, or when debris is blocking pancreatic drainage. It can be done through an open or laparoscopic incision, or via endoscope during a procedure such as ERCP, where instruments are passed through the mouth and stomach to reach the bile duct.

Because blocked ducts can lead to serious infection or pancreatitis if untreated, extirpation is often performed urgently rather than as scheduled surgery.

Anatomy & Axis Detail

Liver, Right Lobe

The right lobe of the liver is the larger of the two anatomic divisions, occupying most of the right upper quadrant beneath the diaphragm and receiving a distinct portal and arterial supply. Extirpation confined to this lobe typically addresses an abscess cavity, necrotic debris, or foreign material localized within right-lobe parenchyma, often identified through prior imaging showing a focal collection rather than diffuse involvement. Access usually requires mobilization along the right triangular and coronary ligaments, and the surgeon must stay mindful of the right hepatic vein and right portal pedicle running through this territory. Specifying the right lobe distinguishes the procedure from extirpation of the left lobe or the liver as a whole, which matters because right-lobe collections are frequently related to biliary tract disease or hematogenous seeding from the portal circulation.

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

Documentation should identify the material removed (stone, clot, sludge) and its exact location, since the body part value changes the code depending on whether the stone was in the gallbladder, cystic duct, common bile duct, or pancreatic duct. The approach also matters: an ERCP-based stone removal is coded differently than an open choledocholithotomy. A common assignment mistake is defaulting to Extraction because the material was 'pulled out,' when PCS defines this scenario as Extirpation since the object is abnormal solid matter rather than a body part being stripped away by force. Coders should also watch for combination procedures, such as a stone extraction performed during the same operative episode as a cholecystectomy, which may require separate codes.

Commonly Confused With

ExtractionExtirpation is most often confused with Extraction, but the deciding factor is whether the material removed is a normal body structure taken by force (Extraction) versus abnormal matter like a stone or clot (Extirpation).
FragmentationIt also overlaps conceptually with Fragmentation, which breaks the stone into pieces in place rather than removing it whole; when documentation shows both breaking up and removing a stone, only the extirpation is coded if all fragments are taken out.