ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

0PRF3KZ

Replacement Humeral Shaft, Right to No Qualifier with Nonautologous Tissue Substitute, Percutaneous Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body SystemP Upper Bones
OperationR Replacement
Body PartF Humeral Shaft, Right
Approach3 Percutaneous
DeviceK Nonautologous Tissue 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 the upper bones involve removing all or part of a bone in the skull, face, thorax, or upper limb and substituting it with a device or biological material that takes over its structural role. Cranioplasty with a synthetic plate after a skull defect, and prosthetic reconstruction of a portion of the humerus or clavicle following tumor removal, are typical examples.

These procedures are performed when a bone is too damaged, diseased, or absent to be repaired or repositioned, and the patient needs a physical substitute to maintain the shape of the skull or the mechanical function of a limb. The material can be a synthetic implant, such as titanium mesh or bone cement, or biological tissue, such as an allograft.

Anatomy & Axis Detail

Humeral Shaft, Right

The humeral shaft is the long diaphyseal segment of the upper arm bone lying between the proximal and distal metaphyses, providing attachment for the deltoid, biceps, and triceps while housing the radial nerve along its spiral groove. Right-sided replacement is performed for extensive segmental bone loss from open fracture nonunion, chronic osteomyelitis, or tumor resection, where an intercalary allograft, vascularized bone graft, or modular endoprosthetic segment restores the shaft's length and rotational alignment. The radial nerve's proximity along the posterior spiral groove makes nerve protection a recurring concern during dissection and graft placement. Coders should confirm that the procedure reconstructs a segment of the diaphysis itself rather than merely fixing an intact but fractured shaft.

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.

Device: Nonautologous Tissue Substitute

Nonautologous Tissue Substitute refers to biologic material sourced from a donor or another species, such as an allograft or xenograft, used to replace a body part. It differs from Autologous Tissue Substitute by tissue origin outside the patient's own body, and from Synthetic Substitute by being biologic rather than manufactured material.

Coding & Documentation

Coding from this family requires documentation that a body part was actually taken out and something physically put in its place, not simply reinforced. The device value must match the material used - synthetic versus autologous versus nonautologous tissue - so operative notes describing the graft source matter for accurate code selection. A recurring error is coding replacement when the native bone was left in place and only augmented, which belongs under supplement instead. Coders should also confirm whether the replaced segment is a full bone or only a portion, since this affects the body part value chosen.

Commonly Confused With

SupplementSupplement is the family most often mixed up with replacement: supplement adds material to reinforce an existing structure that remains in place, while replacement requires the original body part to be taken out first.
ResectionResection is also nearby conceptually, since replacement often follows a resection performed in the same operative episode, but resection itself is coded separately and involves no substitute material.