01D60ZZ
Extraction Radial Nerve to No Qualifier with No Device, Open Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | 1 Peripheral Nervous System |
| Operation | D Extraction |
| Body Part | 6 Radial Nerve |
| Approach | 0 Open |
| Device | Z No Device |
| Qualifier | Z No Qualifier |
Operation Definition
Pulling or stripping out or off all or a portion of a body part by the use of force
Procedure Overview
This family covers the forcible pulling or stripping of all or part of a peripheral nerve, most commonly seen in procedures like nerve stripping for certain chronic pain conditions or the mechanical avulsion of a nerve segment. It is a less common operation in this body system than in others, since peripheral nerves are usually cut or dissected free rather than pulled out under force.
When it is performed, the intent is typically to eliminate a nerve's function entirely by physically removing it through traction rather than sharp dissection, often for a nerve that is already damaged beyond repair or is the source of persistent, difficult-to-treat pain.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Radial Nerve
The radial nerve wraps around the humeral shaft in the spiral groove before continuing into the forearm, making it especially susceptible to injury from midshaft humerus fractures and the surgical hardware used to fix them. Extraction of this nerve typically involves removing a bone fragment, displaced screw, or other foreign material that has become impinged against the nerve at this vulnerable point, frequently presenting as new wrist drop after fracture treatment. Because the nerve is easily overlooked where it crosses the fracture line, careful circumferential exposure is needed to identify and free the entrapped material without further stretching or compressing already compromised nerve fibers. The distal forearm segment supplying sensory branches may also require extraction if superficial injury has embedded debris there instead.
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
This code is used only when the documentation specifically describes force, such as pulling or stripping, being used to remove the nerve or a portion of it, rather than a scalpel or cautery cutting it free. Because this method is uncommon for peripheral nerves, coders should read the operative note carefully to confirm the technique actually matches Extraction and was not simply described loosely by the surgeon when a standard excision was performed. Vein stripping terminology from vascular procedures is sometimes mistakenly carried over to nerve cases, leading to incorrect code selection when the actual technique was sharp dissection.