ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

07QC8ZZ

Repair Lymphatic, Pelvis to No Qualifier with No Device, Via Natural or Artificial Opening Endoscopic Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body System7 Lymphatic and Hemic Systems
OperationQ Repair
Body PartC Lymphatic, Pelvis
Approach8 Via Natural or Artificial Opening Endoscopic
DeviceZ No Device
QualifierZ No Qualifier

Operation Definition

Restoring, to the extent possible, a body part to its normal anatomic structure and function

Procedure Overview

Repair in this body system is the catch-all corrective procedure used when a lymphatic or hemic structure - most often the spleen, but also lymph nodes, the thymus, or the thoracic duct - has been damaged and needs to be restored to as close to normal anatomy and function as possible, using a technique that does not fit any more specific root operation. A classic example is suturing a lacerated spleen after blunt trauma, sometimes called splenorrhaphy, to control bleeding while preserving the organ rather than removing it. Another is closing a lymphatic fistula or leak, such as a chyle leak from an injured thoracic duct.

These procedures matter clinically because they aim to save the organ or vessel and its function, which for the spleen in particular helps preserve immune defenses that would be lost with removal.

Anatomy & Axis Detail

Lymphatic, Pelvis

Pelvic lymph nodes include the iliac, obturator, and related chains draining the pelvic organs, bladder, rectum, and lower limbs, and they are frequently dissected during gynecologic, urologic, or colorectal cancer surgery. Repair of this group is performed when a pelvic lymphatic channel or node capsule is injured intraoperatively or by trauma, resulting in a lymphocele or persistent leak that requires direct closure rather than excision. The deep pelvic location places these nodes near major vessels, ureters, and nerves, so repair must be approached with attention to these adjacent structures. Documentation should specify that the procedure restores lymphatic integrity, since pelvic lymphadenectomy for staging purposes is coded as excision or resection, not repair, and conflating the two would misrepresent the operative intent.

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.

Coding & Documentation

Repair is a default root operation, so coders should only assign it after ruling out that the documented technique matches one of the more specific root operations - Release, Reposition, Resection, or a reconstructive operation like Replacement or Supplement. If the note describes suturing a spleen laceration with no other technique implied, Repair is appropriate; if it describes removing damaged splenic tissue along with the repair, part of the procedure may need to be coded as Excision instead. A common documentation gap is a vague operative note that says "repaired" without describing what was actually done, forcing the coder to query the physician rather than guess. Coders should also verify the correct body part, since a thoracic duct repair and a splenic repair use different values.

Commonly Confused With

ExcisionRepair is most often confused with Excision when a damaged portion of tissue is trimmed away as part of fixing the injury - if tissue is cut out and discarded rather than closed or restored, Excision (or another root operation) may apply to that portion.
SupplementIt is also distinguished from Supplement, which is used when biological or synthetic material is added to reinforce a structure rather than simply closing or fixing it directly.