ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

0VPS47Z

Removal Penis to No Qualifier with Autologous Tissue Substitute, Percutaneous Endoscopic Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body SystemV Male Reproductive System
OperationP Removal
Body PartS Penis
Approach4 Percutaneous Endoscopic
Device7 Autologous Tissue Substitute
QualifierZ No Qualifier

Operation Definition

Taking out or off a device from a body part

Procedure Overview

Removal procedures in this family involve taking out a device that was previously placed in a structure of the male reproductive system, such as a penile prosthesis, testicular prosthesis, or a drain, rather than treating native tissue. These are performed when a device has served its purpose, malfunctioned, become infected, or needs to be exchanged for a different device.

Patients encounter these procedures most often after a prior implant surgery, such as removal of a penile implant due to mechanical failure, erosion, or infection, or removal of a testicular prosthesis that was placed after orchiectomy. Depending on the reason for removal, a new device may or may not be placed during the same operative session, which affects how the encounter is coded overall.

Anatomy & Axis Detail

Penis

Removal at the penis most commonly describes extraction of a previously implanted penile prosthesis, whether an inflatable multi-component device with reservoir and pump or a semi-rigid rod system placed for erectile dysfunction, along with associated tubing and cylinders housed within the corpora cavernosa. The penis is composed of paired erectile bodies and the surrounding tunica albuginea, and prosthetic components are threaded through these compartments during original placement, so removal requires careful dissection to avoid injuring the urethra or neurovascular bundles. Indications include device infection, mechanical malfunction, erosion, or patient request, and surgeons must decide intraoperatively whether to remove the device alone or perform a washout-and-immediate-reimplant procedure, which changes the coding. Because reservoirs are often tunneled into the pelvis or abdominal wall, operative notes should specify whether all components were retrieved to ensure the procedure is fully captured.

Approach: Percutaneous Endoscopic

Percutaneous Endoscopic combines a puncture through skin or mucous membrane with insertion of an endoscope to visualize the procedure internally, as in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. It is distinguished from plain Percutaneous by the presence of scope-guided visualization, and from Via Natural or Artificial Opening Endoscopic by its route being a new puncture rather than an existing orifice or stoma.

Device: Autologous Tissue Substitute

Autologous Tissue Substitute identifies a device value where material harvested from the patient's own body, such as an autograft, is used to replace or reconstruct a body part. Its defining feature is tissue origin from the patient, setting it apart from Nonautologous Tissue Substitute, sourced from a donor or animal, and Synthetic Substitute, made of manufactured material.

Coding & Documentation

A Removal code is assigned only when a device is being taken out and documentation confirms no new device is being put in through the same procedure; if a device is removed and immediately replaced, coders instead consider whether Revision or a Removal-plus-Insertion combination better reflects what was documented. The operative note should name the specific device removed, such as inflatable penile prosthesis components or a testicular implant, and confirm complete extraction.

A common mistake is coding Removal when the physician actually performed a Revision, which corrects or adjusts a malfunctioning device without full removal and replacement, or when a device is removed and a new one is placed in the same operative episode, which requires reporting both Removal and Insertion rather than Removal alone. Coders should also verify the body part reflects where the device was located rather than the device type itself.

Commonly Confused With

RevisionRemoval is frequently confused with Revision, since both address problems with an existing device, but Revision corrects, adjusts, or partially replaces components in place while Removal takes the device out entirely.
InsertionIt is also distinguished from Insertion, which places a new device without removing an old one, and situations involving both an old device coming out and a new one going in require separate Removal and Insertion codes rather than a single combined code.