0QH907Z
Insertion Femoral Shaft, Left to No Qualifier with Internal Fixation Device, Intramedullary Limb Lengthening, Open Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | Q Lower Bones |
| Operation | H Insertion |
| Body Part | 9 Femoral Shaft, Left |
| Approach | 0 Open |
| Device | 7 Internal Fixation Device, Intramedullary Limb Lengthening |
| Qualifier | Z No Qualifier |
Operation Definition
Putting in a nonbiological appliance that monitors, assists, performs, or prevents a physiological function but does not physically take the place of a body part
Procedure Overview
Insertion procedures place a nonbiological device into a lower bone to monitor, assist, or support it, without taking the place of any bone tissue. Common examples include implanting a bone growth stimulator, placing radiographic markers, or inserting fixation hardware such as pins or screws for stabilization when no fracture is being actively repaired at that session.
These devices support healing or diagnosis over time rather than immediately fixing a structural problem, so patients often keep them in place for weeks or months, with follow-up imaging or visits to track progress.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Femoral Shaft, Left
The left femoral shaft, the elongated middle portion of the thighbone, is structurally suited to receive intramedullary devices because its hollow canal runs nearly the full length of the bone. Insertion in this context describes placing a device such as a bone growth stimulator or a monitoring lead into the shaft without reducing a fracture or replacing bone tissue, distinct from the more commonly coded fixation procedures used to stabilize diaphyseal fractures. Given the shaft's role in weight-bearing and its proximity to the femoral artery and sciatic nerve posteriorly, precise documentation of device type and insertion site helps distinguish this procedure from more invasive interventions and supports accurate tracking of implants left in place for extended therapeutic purposes.
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.
Device: Internal Fixation Device, Intramedullary Limb Lengthening
This value describes an intramedullary rod that combines internal fixation within the medullary canal with a built-in mechanism, typically magnetically driven, for gradual limb lengthening, avoiding the external hardware of a limb-lengthening fixator. It differs from a standard intramedullary device, which only stabilizes without lengthening, and from external fixation limb-lengthening devices, which achieve the same distraction through an external frame.
Coding & Documentation
This code family applies when a device is put into the bone and nothing about the bone itself is being cut, repaired, or realigned in that same procedure. Documentation should name the specific device and confirm it isn't replacing a body part. A frequent misstep is coding insertion when hardware is placed during an active fracture reduction or fusion - in those cases the device placement is typically captured within the reduction or fusion code rather than as a separate insertion, and coding both can result in overcoding. Insertion is coded separately when the device placement is the entire purpose of the encounter, such as a later-stage stimulator implant.
Commonly Confused With
Insertion is most often confused with Replacement, which physically substitutes for bone tissue (such as a joint prosthesis) rather than simply adding a device alongside it, and with the device-placement component bundled into Reposition or Fusion procedures, where hardware is incidental to the primary root operation rather than the reason for the encounter.