0FM80ZZ
Reattachment Cystic Duct to No Qualifier with No Device, Open Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | F Hepatobiliary System and Pancreas |
| Operation | M Reattachment |
| Body Part | 8 Cystic Duct |
| Approach | 0 Open |
| Device | Z No Device |
| Qualifier | Z No Qualifier |
Operation Definition
Putting back in or on all or a portion of a separated body part to its normal location or other suitable location
Procedure Overview
Reattachment describes putting a portion of the liver, gallbladder, bile duct, or pancreas back into its normal anatomic location after it has been completely or partially separated from the body, most commonly following traumatic injury such as a laceration or avulsion, or as part of a planned surgery like a liver transplant where vascular and ductal connections must be reconnected. It reconnects blood vessels and other structures so the reattached tissue can resume normal function.
This is a highly specialized procedure typically performed in the setting of severe trauma, organ transplantation, or occasionally after a segment of the pancreas or bile duct has been surgically detached and needs to be rejoined rather than removed. It differs from routine repair because the body part had actually become separated, whether by injury or intentional surgical detachment, before being restored to its location.
Because of the complexity of the vascular and ductal anatomy in this region, reattachment procedures carry significant surgical risk and are usually performed at specialized trauma or transplant centers.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Cystic Duct
The cystic duct connects the gallbladder to the common hepatic duct, allowing bile to move into and out of the gallbladder for storage and concentration. Reattachment of this small, often tortuous structure is uncommon but may be performed after iatrogenic transection during laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy, or following trauma, when the surgeon chooses to restore the duct's own connection rather than ligate the stump or reroute bile flow. Its short length and variable anatomy, including spiral folds and inconsistent insertion points into the hepatic duct, make reattachment technically demanding and less common than simple ligation or bypass. Documentation should clarify that the cystic duct itself, rather than the gallbladder or hepatic duct, was the structure reconnected, since these are coded as distinct body parts.
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 assigned when documentation shows a body part that was completely or partially cut off was surgically reconnected to its vascular supply and anatomic position, such as reattaching a lacerated liver segment or connecting the donor and recipient structures in a transplant. The operative note should specify the body part reattached and confirm that separation had actually occurred, not merely that tissue was repaired in place.
A common coding mistake is applying Reattachment to simple suturing or repair of a laceration that never fully separated the tissue, which instead belongs under Repair. Coders should also be careful with transplant cases, where the transplant itself is coded separately from any reattachment of native structures, and should verify exactly which vessels or ducts were reconnected if multiple body part values apply.