ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

0MQ10ZZ

Repair Shoulder Bursa and Ligament, Right to No Qualifier with No Device, Open Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body SystemM Bursae and Ligaments
OperationQ Repair
Body Part1 Shoulder Bursa and Ligament, Right
Approach0 Open
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

This family covers surgical repair of a bursa or ligament when it is torn, lacerated, or otherwise damaged but not being replaced with graft material or reinforced with supplemental tissue. Ligaments connect bone to bone and stabilize joints such as the knee, ankle, shoulder, and wrist, while bursae are small fluid-filled sacs that cushion friction points between tendons, bone, and skin. Damage to either structure typically comes from a sudden twisting injury, a fall, overuse, or a laceration, and can leave a joint feeling unstable, painful, or prone to giving way.

The surgeon's goal is to bring the torn edges of the ligament back together, or close and stabilize a ruptured or infected bursa, restoring the structure as close to its original anatomy as the tissue allows. This might mean suturing a partial ligament tear, draining and closing an infected olecranon or prepatellar bursa, or repairing a bursal rupture found during an open procedure. Recovery generally involves bracing or immobilization followed by physical therapy to regain strength and range of motion, and outcomes depend heavily on how completely the native tissue can be restored.

Anatomy & Axis Detail

Shoulder Bursa and Ligament, Right

The right shoulder's ligamentous and bursal structures include the glenohumeral and coracoacromial ligaments along with the subacromial bursa, all of which are vulnerable to tearing or inflammation from dislocation, repetitive overhead motion, or impingement against the acromion. Repair restores a torn ligament to its normal structure and function through direct suturing, distinct from procedures using graft reinforcement or complete replacement of tissue. Because shoulder instability often involves both capsuloligamentous laxity and bursal inflammation together, the surgeon may address multiple structures in one session, and documentation should clarify whether the glenohumeral ligament complex, the coracoacromial ligament, or the subacromial bursa itself was repaired, since each reflects a distinct mechanism of injury and surgical technique.

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

A coder should look for operative language describing suturing, closure, or reattachment of a bursa or ligament without the use of graft or synthetic material - words like "repaired," "sutured," or "reattached primarily" point here rather than to Replacement or Supplement. The documentation needs to specify which named bursa or ligament was involved and confirm no device or biologic material was left in place to reinforce the structure. A frequent error is coding Repair when the operative note actually describes a mesh or allograft reinforcing the ligament, which belongs under Supplement instead. Another common miss is failing to distinguish a simple bursa drainage (Drainage root operation) from an actual repair of the bursal wall itself.

Commonly Confused With

SupplementSupplement is the closest neighbor and the most frequently confused pairing: if the surgeon adds graft, mesh, or other material to reinforce a ligament that is still substantially intact, that's Supplement, not Repair.
RepositionReposition applies when a ligament or bursa is surgically moved to a new anatomic location, such as relocating a displaced bursa, rather than being fixed in place.
ResectionResection is reserved for cases where the bursa or ligament is cut out entirely with no attempt to restore it, as with excision of a chronically inflamed bursa that will not be reconstructed.