0TL68DZ
Occlusion Ureter, Right to No Qualifier with Intraluminal Device, Via Natural or Artificial Opening Endoscopic Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | T Urinary System |
| Operation | L Occlusion |
| Body Part | 6 Ureter, Right |
| Approach | 8 Via Natural or Artificial Opening Endoscopic |
| Device | D Intraluminal 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 urinary structure completely, most often a ureter, so that urine or another substance can no longer pass through it. This is done when a ureter must be sealed off because of an unrepairable fistula, a nonfunctioning kidney left in place, or a urinary diversion in which the natural path from kidney to bladder is intentionally interrupted. The occlusion can be achieved surgically by ligating or clipping the ureter, or by placing material inside the vessel to block flow.
Patients who undergo this procedure often have advanced disease affecting kidney function or urinary drainage, such as a kidney destroyed by long-standing obstruction, and the goal is to prevent urine leakage or infection rather than to restore normal function.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Ureter, Right
The right ureter is the muscular tube conveying urine from the right kidney pelvis to the bladder, running along the psoas muscle and crossing the iliac vessels before entering the pelvis. Deliberate occlusion of this segment is performed to stop urine flow, most commonly to manage a ureteral fistula, control leakage from an injury, or temporarily protect a distal repair, and it is typically accomplished with an occlusion balloon, detachable coil, or ligating clip placed via cystoscopic, percutaneous, or open access. Because the right ureter's course places it near the appendix and cecum, occlusion procedures on this side account for that regional anatomy when selecting an access route, and the resulting obstruction usually requires a concurrent or subsequent nephrostomy to divert urine and protect renal function.
Approach: Via Natural or Artificial Opening Endoscopic
Via Natural or Artificial Opening Endoscopic describes instrumentation introduced through a natural orifice or a surgically created opening while using an endoscope for visualization, as in a routine colonoscopy performed through the anus. It differs from the plain Via Natural or Artificial Opening value by the added scope, and from Percutaneous Endoscopic by using an existing passage rather than a new skin puncture.
Device: Intraluminal Device
Intraluminal Device denotes a single device, such as a stent or occlusion device, positioned within the lumen of a tubular body part like a vessel, duct, or airway to maintain patency or occlude flow. It carries no drug coating or radioactivity, distinguishing it from the drug-eluting, radioactive, and bioactive intraluminal device values, and from Extraluminal Device, which sits outside rather than inside the lumen.
Coding & Documentation
Coders should confirm from the operative note that the intent was complete closure of the lumen, not narrowing or repair, since Occlusion requires that no material can pass through afterward. Documentation should specify the exact segment of ureter closed and the method used, whether suture ligation, clipping, or an endoluminal occluding device, because the approach value depends on how access was gained.
A common mistake is confusing occlusion with Restriction, which only partially narrows a lumen rather than closing it entirely; if any flow is still possible, Restriction is the correct root operation instead. Another frequent error is coding an occlusion performed as part of a larger diversion or nephrectomy procedure as a separate line item when it was an integral step of that more comprehensive procedure and should not be coded independently.
Commonly Confused With
This family is most often confused with Restriction, since both narrow a tubular structure, and with an incidental ligation performed as a step of another procedure. The key distinction from Restriction is whether the lumen is completely closed versus only partially narrowed. The distinction from an incidental ligation is whether closing the ureter was the primary objective of the procedure or merely a technical step within a more extensive operation such as a nephroureterectomy, in which case it is not coded separately.