0CPS3JZ
Removal Larynx to No Qualifier with Synthetic Substitute, Percutaneous Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | C Mouth and Throat |
| Operation | P Removal |
| Body Part | S Larynx |
| Approach | 3 Percutaneous |
| Device | J Synthetic Substitute |
| Qualifier | Z No Qualifier |
Operation Definition
Taking out or off a device from a body part
Procedure Overview
Removal procedures take out a device that was previously placed in the mouth or throat, such as a feeding tube inserted through the neck into the pharynx, a stent placed to keep an airway or duct open, a wired or banded appliance used to stabilize the jaw, or packing left in place after prior surgery. This is distinct from removing diseased tissue - the object being taken out is a device or foreign material the medical team or the patient put there, not a growth or abnormal tissue.
These procedures happen once the device has served its purpose, such as after a fracture has healed and jaw wires can come out, or when a temporary drain or stent is no longer needed. They can also occur when a device is malfunctioning, causing irritation, or needs to be exchanged for a different one.
For patients, Removal generally marks a step toward recovery, signaling that a temporary support or stabilization device is no longer required.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Larynx
Removal from the larynx refers to extracting a previously placed device, such as a laryngeal stent, keel, or airway prosthesis, rather than excising diseased laryngeal tissue. These devices are often placed after laryngeal trauma, stenosis repair, or vocal fold medialization procedures to maintain airway patency or support healing tissue while scar matures, and their extraction is typically staged once the surgical site has stabilized. Because the larynx controls both breathing and voice, device removal is usually performed endoscopically with attention to the airway status at the time of extraction, since removing a stent prematurely can risk restenosis while removing it too late can cause granulation tissue or mucosal injury around the implant.
Approach: Percutaneous
Percutaneous describes entry by needle or instrument puncture through the skin or mucous membrane to reach the site of the procedure, without cutting the tissue open or using a visualizing scope. It differs from Open in that the site itself is never exposed, and from Percutaneous Endoscopic in that no endoscope is used to see internal structures. Common examples include needle biopsies and injections.
Device: Synthetic Substitute
Synthetic Substitute designates a device made from manufactured, non-biologic material, such as mesh or prosthetic components, used to replace or augment a body part. It is distinguished from the two tissue substitute categories by its artificial composition, which carries different considerations for integration and long-term durability than biologic grafts.
Coding & Documentation
Coders use Removal when the documentation clearly states a device - not native tissue - was taken out of the mouth or throat, and no new device was put in during the same encounter, since that combination would instead be coded as a Change if done without a new incision or through a separate table entry if a new device replaces the old one. The note should specify what the device was and confirm it originated from a prior procedure rather than being newly discovered material like a swallowed foreign object.
A common mistake is coding Removal for taking out a foreign body such as swallowed food or an accidentally ingested object, which is actually coded as Extraction or under the Foreign Body root operation logic depending on the guidelines, since Removal in ICD-10-PCS specifically applies to devices. Another frequent error is missing that a device removed and immediately replaced with a similar type in the same operative session should be captured differently than a straightforward Removal without replacement.