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Repair Sternoclavicular Joint, Right to No Qualifier with No Device, Percutaneous Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | R Upper Joints |
| Operation | Q Repair |
| Body Part | E Sternoclavicular Joint, Right |
| Approach | 3 Percutaneous |
| Device | Z No Device |
| Qualifier | Z No Qualifier |
Operation Definition
Restoring, to the extent possible, a body part to its normal anatomic structure and function
Procedure Overview
Repair procedures on the upper joints restore a joint structure to as close to its normal anatomy and function as possible when it has been damaged by injury or disease, using a method that does not fit any more specific root operation. This is a broad, catch-all category within the joints body system and commonly applies to procedures such as suturing a torn joint capsule, repairing a labral tear in the shoulder that does not involve a graft, or fixing a traumatic joint injury that does not call for excision, replacement, or reconstruction techniques.
Because so many joint conditions have a dedicated, more specific root operation, true Repair codes in this family tend to represent procedures that genuinely fall outside those categories, such as closure of an open joint wound or a straightforward suture repair of a torn structure.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Sternoclavicular Joint, Right
The right sternoclavicular joint is the articulation between the medial end of the clavicle and the manubrium of the sternum, one of the few true joints connecting the upper limb to the axial skeleton and the site through which forces from the arm are transmitted to the trunk. Repair here addresses a structural disruption, such as a torn joint capsule or damaged intra-articular disc following trauma like a fall onto an outstretched arm or a direct blow, restoring the joint to its normal anatomic state without resection, fusion, or replacement. This joint's close relationship to the great vessels, trachea, and mediastinal structures, particularly with posterior injuries, makes surgical repair technically demanding and occasionally requires a team approach. Documentation should specify the structures repaired to differentiate this conservative procedure from resection arthroplasty or joint replacement performed for chronic instability.
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.
Coding & Documentation
This root operation should only be assigned when no other root operation more precisely describes what was done - PCS coding conventions treat Repair as the default when a documented procedure does not meet the definition of any other root operation for that body part. The operative note needs to specify the anatomic structure repaired and the technique used, such as suture, in enough detail to rule out a more specific code.
The most frequent error is defaulting to Repair too quickly instead of checking whether the documented technique actually matches a more specific root operation like Reattachment, Reposition, or Supplement - for example, a labral repair reinforced with an anchor and graft material may actually qualify as Supplement rather than plain Repair. Coders should also confirm the repair was not performed as an incidental step of a more extensive procedure on the same joint, in which case it may not be separately reportable.