ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

0MRH0JZ

Replacement Abdomen Bursa and Ligament, Right to No Qualifier with Synthetic Substitute, Open Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body SystemM Bursae and Ligaments
OperationR Replacement
Body PartH Abdomen Bursa and Ligament, Right
Approach0 Open
DeviceJ Synthetic Substitute
QualifierZ No Qualifier

Operation Definition

Putting in or on biological or synthetic material that physically takes the place and/or function of all or a portion of a body part

Procedure Overview

Replacement procedures in this family involve putting in biological or synthetic material to physically stand in for all or part of a damaged bursa or, far more commonly, a ligament. The clearest example is anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, where a torn ACL is removed and replaced with a graft harvested from the patient's own patellar or hamstring tendon, from a donor, or occasionally a synthetic substitute, because the native ligament cannot be sutured back together and heal reliably.

These procedures are performed when a ligament tear is too severe, too chronic, or too central to joint stability for simple suturing to restore function - the knee, shoulder, and elbow are the joints where ligament replacement is most frequently needed. The goal is to give the joint a new structural cable capable of bearing the same mechanical loads as the original ligament, allowing patients to return to sports or daily activity with restored stability. Recovery is longer than for a simple repair, involving staged rehabilitation as the graft incorporates into the surrounding bone.

Anatomy & Axis Detail

Abdomen Bursa and Ligament, Right

The right abdomen's bursae and ligaments include supportive fascial and ligamentous tissue associated with structures such as the falciform and round ligaments on that side, which anchor visceral organs and reinforce the abdominal wall. Replacement is performed when this connective tissue is compromised by trauma, prior surgery, or resection during tumor treatment, leaving inadequate native tissue to restore visceral support through repair alone. Synthetic or graft material is used to reconstruct the anchoring function, which can be important for maintaining proper organ position and abdominal wall integrity. Because the right abdomen contains several distinct ligamentous structures near vascular and hepatic anatomy, documentation should specify exactly which ligament was addressed and the surgical approach used to reach it.

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.

Device: Synthetic Substitute

Synthetic Substitute designates a device made from manufactured, non-biologic material, such as mesh or prosthetic components, used to replace or augment a body part. It is distinguished from the two tissue substitute categories by its artificial composition, which carries different considerations for integration and long-term durability than biologic grafts.

Coding & Documentation

Coders assign from this family when documentation clearly states that the native ligament or bursa was removed and a graft or prosthetic material was implanted to take its place - autograft, allograft, and synthetic ligament substitutes all qualify. The operative note should identify the graft source and confirm the original structure was excised rather than left in place. A common assignment error is coding Replacement when the surgeon actually augmented an intact ligament with additional material, which is Supplement; the deciding question is whether the native structure was taken out. Another pitfall is missing the correct body part value when a graft crosses two adjoining structures, such as ACL reconstruction touching both femoral and tibial attachment sites.

Commonly Confused With

SupplementSupplement is the operation most often mixed up with Replacement - Supplement reinforces a ligament that remains largely intact, while Replacement takes the damaged structure out and substitutes new material entirely.
RepairRepair is used instead when the native ligament can simply be sutured back together without any graft material.
ResectionResection differs in that no replacement material is introduced at all; the bursa or ligament is simply excised.