ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

0NRK37Z

Replacement Palatine Bone, Right to No Qualifier with Autologous Tissue Substitute, Percutaneous Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body SystemN Head and Facial Bones
OperationR Replacement
Body PartK Palatine Bone, Right
Approach3 Percutaneous
Device7 Autologous 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 put in biological or synthetic material - such as a cranioplasty plate, custom facial implant, or bone graft - to physically take the place of all or part of a skull or facial bone that is missing, damaged, or was previously removed. This family is used when the goal is not just to fix the existing bone but to substitute new material for a portion that no longer serves its structural role.

Common reasons include reconstructing a skull defect left after a craniectomy for trauma or tumor, rebuilding an orbital floor after a blowout fracture, or restoring facial contour with a custom implant following cancer resection. Patients pursuing these procedures are typically working toward both functional protection of underlying structures, like the brain or eye, and restoration of facial appearance.

Anatomy & Axis Detail

Palatine Bone, Right

The right palatine bone forms the posterior hard palate and part of the nasal cavity floor and lateral wall, sitting deep in the midface where it is difficult to access directly. Replacement is considered when the bone is destroyed by tumor resection, congenital cleft deformity, osteoradionecrosis, or severe trauma, leaving a defect that connects the oral and nasal cavities and impairs speech and swallowing. Because the native bone is thin and closely applied to the palatine mucosa and greater palatine neurovascular structures, replacement typically uses a shaped bone graft, alloplastic plate, or patient-matched implant introduced through an intraoral or combined approach. Surgeons must recreate the palatal contour precisely enough to support a functional palate and, when relevant, a dental prosthesis, and documentation should specify the substitute material and whether autologous, nonautologous, or synthetic tissue was used.

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: Autologous Tissue Substitute

Autologous Tissue Substitute identifies a device value where material harvested from the patient's own body, such as an autograft, is used to replace or reconstruct a body part. Its defining feature is tissue origin from the patient, setting it apart from Nonautologous Tissue Substitute, sourced from a donor or animal, and Synthetic Substitute, made of manufactured material.

Coding & Documentation

Documentation should specify the material used, whether an autologous bone graft, titanium mesh, or synthetic implant, and confirm that it is taking the place of bone rather than merely reinforcing it. Coders need to identify the specific facial or cranial bone being replaced, since body part selection within this family is granular. A frequent error is coding Replacement when a graft is instead used to support a repair rather than substitute for missing bone, and another is confusing a temporary spacer or external fixation device, which does not qualify as replacement material, with a permanent implant.

Commonly Confused With

SupplementReplacement is closely related to Supplement procedures in body systems where that root operation exists, and to Repair within this same family; the key distinction from Repair is that Replacement always introduces material that takes over the bone's structural role, whereas Repair works with the patient's own existing bone.
RemovalIt is also distinguished from Removal, which takes material out without putting anything new in its place.