0TQ77ZZ
Repair Ureter, Left to No Qualifier with No Device, Via Natural or Artificial Opening Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | T Urinary System |
| Operation | Q Repair |
| Body Part | 7 Ureter, Left |
| Approach | 7 Via Natural or Artificial Opening |
| 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 covers procedures that restore a urinary structure to its normal anatomy and function when no other root operation more precisely describes the work done. It functions as the default category for suturing a laceration of the bladder or ureter, closing a traumatic kidney injury that does not require tissue excision, or fixing an incidental defect found during another operation.
These procedures come up after trauma, as a complication of another surgery, or when a structural defect such as a small fistula or perforation needs closure. Because Repair is used only when a more specific root operation does not apply, it tends to represent a narrower and more varied set of interventions than families like Resection or Replacement.
Outcomes generally focus on returning the organ to working order rather than reconstructing it with different tissue or material.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Ureter, Left
The left ureter runs from the renal pelvis to the bladder along the psoas muscle and past the left iliac vessels, and repair here corrects lacerations, perforations, or fistulas through direct closure rather than segmental excision or substitution. Injury commonly arises during colorectal, vascular, or gynecologic surgery given the ureter's retroperitoneal course near other operative fields, or from ureteroscopic instrumentation. As with the right ureter, preserving luminal caliber is essential, since scarring at a repair site can obstruct urine flow and lead to hydronephrosis if unrecognized. A ureteral stent is frequently placed alongside the repair to protect the suture line during healing. Coders should confirm the procedure restored the ureter's own tissue rather than replacing a segment with a graft or bowel interposition.
Approach: Via Natural or Artificial Opening
Via Natural or Artificial Opening means the instrument reaches the target site by passing through an existing body orifice, such as the mouth or urethra, or a surgically created opening like a stoma, without additional incision or scope guidance. It is distinguished from the Endoscopic variant by the absence of a visualizing scope, and from External by actually traversing into the body through that opening.
Coding & Documentation
Coders turn to this family only after ruling out every other root operation that might better describe the objective of the procedure - for example, a fistula closure that reroutes tissue may actually be Reposition or another operation, not Repair. The operative note needs to clearly describe the defect being closed and confirm that the surgeon's intent was simply to mend the structure, not to reconstruct it with graft material or to remove diseased tissue.
A frequent assignment mistake is defaulting to Repair whenever a note says "repaired" in plain language, even though the actual technique performed - such as excision of scar tissue with reattachment, or reconstruction using tissue from elsewhere - fits a different root operation. Coders should always check whether a more specific term applies before settling on this category.