07L80ZZ
Occlusion Lymphatic, Internal Mammary, Right to No Qualifier with No Device, Open Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | 7 Lymphatic and Hemic Systems |
| Operation | L Occlusion |
| Body Part | 8 Lymphatic, Internal Mammary, Right |
| Approach | 0 Open |
| Device | Z No Device |
| Qualifier | Z No Qualifier |
Operation Definition
Completely closing an orifice or the lumen of a tubular body part
Procedure Overview
Occlusion procedures close off a lymphatic vessel or duct so that fluid can no longer pass through it, most notably ligation of the thoracic duct to control a chylous leak or chylothorax where lymphatic fluid is escaping into the chest. A surgeon ties off, clips, or otherwise seals the vessel, either through an open approach or thoracoscopically, redirecting or stopping the flow of lymph at that point.
This is a targeted response to a specific mechanical problem, a duct that's leaking or that needs to be interrupted, rather than a treatment aimed at disease within the node or organ itself. It's used when conservative measures like dietary changes or drainage haven't resolved persistent lymphatic leakage, often following thoracic or cardiac surgery, trauma, or in association with certain tumors.
Because the vessel is completely closed rather than partially narrowed or removed, the tissue beyond the occlusion loses its normal drainage pathway, which is why the procedure is typically reserved for cases where an alternate route for lymph flow exists or the leak itself poses the greater risk.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Lymphatic, Internal Mammary, Right
The right internal mammary (internal thoracic) lymphatic chain runs alongside the internal mammary vessels beneath the sternum, draining portions of the anterior chest wall, breast, and upper abdominal wall on that side. Occlusion of this pathway is most often performed in the context of breast or chest wall malignancy, where interrupting lymphatic flow may accompany vascular ligation or be used to manage a persistent lymphatic leak after mastectomy, sternotomy, or internal mammary vessel harvest for bypass grafting. Because these nodes and channels sit in a deep, narrow retrosternal plane close to major vasculature, precise identification is essential before ligation, clipping, or embolic occlusion. Laterality must be documented accurately, since the right and left internal mammary chains are coded independently and are not interchangeable in this classification.
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 note should specify the duct or lymphatic vessel occluded, most commonly the thoracic duct, and the technique used - ligation, clipping, or another method that completely closes the lumen - along with the clinical reason, typically a documented chylothorax or chyle leak. Confirming that the vessel is fully closed, not just narrowed or partially interrupted, supports Occlusion over another root operation.
Coders sometimes misassign a percutaneous lymphatic embolization procedure to the wrong root operation by not distinguishing embolic material placed to occlude the duct from a device left for another purpose, or by missing that thoracic duct ligation performed incidentally during a larger thoracic operation still needs its own separate code.
Commonly Confused With
Restriction is the operation most likely to be confused with Occlusion, since both narrow or block a passage, but Restriction only partially narrows the lumen while Occlusion closes it completely - a detail that has to come directly from the operative description of what was accomplished. Ligation for hemostasis during an unrelated procedure, where a small lymphatic is tied off incidentally to control oozing, generally isn't coded separately from the primary procedure, unlike a deliberate therapeutic duct ligation performed to treat a leak.