ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

0LRK0JZ

Replacement Hip Tendon, Left to No Qualifier with Synthetic Substitute, Open Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body SystemL Tendons
OperationR Replacement
Body PartK Hip Tendon, Left
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 involve taking out damaged or missing tendon tissue and putting in graft material, biological or synthetic, that physically takes over the tendon's job of connecting muscle to bone. This differs from a simple repair because the patient's own tendon tissue is not sufficient to close the gap, so a substitute, such as a tendon allograft, autograft harvested from elsewhere in the body, or a synthetic tendon substitute, is used to bridge or rebuild the structure.

This approach is common in chronic or long-standing tendon ruptures where the tendon ends have retracted and scarred, making direct repair impossible, as well as in reconstructive surgeries for conditions like chronic Achilles tendon rupture, some rotator cuff reconstructions, or ligament and tendon reconstructions in the hand. The goal is to restore functional continuity so the joint can move and bear load again, even though the replaced segment is not the patient's original tissue.

Anatomy & Axis Detail

Hip Tendon, Left

On the left hip, tendons including the iliopsoas and the gluteal group stabilize the pelvis and power hip motion, and their integrity is particularly important for preventing a Trendelenburg gait pattern when the abductor mechanism fails. Tendon replacement in this region is typically performed for chronic, retracted abductor tears, extensive tumor resection involving the hip girdle, or traumatic avulsion injuries that leave a gap too large for direct repair. Given the substantial forces transmitted through hip tendons during ambulation, replacement material must be secured with attention to appropriate tension and to the proximity of the hip joint capsule and surrounding neurovascular structures. The operative report should specify the exact tendon, such as gluteus medius or iliopsoas, and confirm left-sided laterality to ensure the correct body part value is applied.

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

To assign this root operation, the documentation must show that graft material physically substitutes for a segment of tendon rather than simply reinforcing or patching it. Coders should look for explicit mention of graft harvest or a specific graft product, and confirm the graft is taking the structural place of tendon rather than being layered on top for extra strength, which would instead be a Supplement procedure.

A common documentation gap is the operative note describing graft use without clarifying whether it fully substitutes for missing tendon tissue or merely augments intact tissue; coders should query the physician when this distinction is unclear, since it changes the root operation. Another frequent error is coding the graft harvest site as part of the tendon Replacement procedure rather than as its own separate procedure on the donor body part.

Commonly Confused With

SupplementThis family is frequently confused with Supplement, where graft material reinforces an existing, still-continuous tendon rather than replacing a missing segment, such as reinforcing a repaired rotator cuff tendon with a patch.
RepairIt also overlaps conceptually with Repair when a graft is mistakenly assumed anytime tendon surgery is documented; Repair applies only when the patient's own tendon tissue is directly closed without a substitute material taking its place.