ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

0QSP0Z2

Reposition Metatarsal, Left to Sesamoid Bone(s) 1st Toe with No Device, Open Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body SystemQ Lower Bones
OperationS Reposition
Body PartP Metatarsal, Left
Approach0 Open
DeviceZ No Device
Qualifier2 Sesamoid Bone(s) 1st Toe

Operation Definition

Moving to its normal location, or other suitable location, all or a portion of a body part

Procedure Overview

Reposition procedures move a lower bone, or a fragment of one, from an abnormal location to its correct anatomical position, or to another location that will let it function properly. This is the category most fracture reductions fall into, along with corrective osteotomies performed to realign a bone that has healed crookedly or grown abnormally, and procedures that move a bone segment to a new site for reconstructive purposes.

These operations address displaced fractures of the pelvis, femur, tibia, fibula, patella, or foot bones, as well as deformities such as a bowed tibia or a malaligned metatarsal that needs to be cut and shifted into better alignment. Fixation devices like plates, screws, rods, or external fixators are frequently used alongside the repositioning to hold the bone in its new location while it heals.

Anatomy & Axis Detail

Metatarsal, Left

The left metatarsals make up the five bones of the forefoot that connect the midfoot to the toes and contribute to the transverse arch supporting body weight across the ball of the foot. Reposition is indicated when trauma, such as a crush injury or a twisting fall, has displaced one or more of these bones or disrupted their alignment at the tarsometatarsal joints. Because the metatarsals work in concert to distribute forefoot loading evenly, even a single malpositioned bone can alter pressure patterns and contribute to pain or skin breakdown over time. Documentation should specify which metatarsal or metatarsals were repositioned and whether the procedure was accomplished through closed manipulation or an open surgical approach.

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.

Qualifier: Sesamoid Bone(s) 1st Toe

Sesamoid Bone(s) 1st Toe specifies the small sesamoid bones embedded within the tendons at the base of the great toe as the qualifying structure in a foot bone procedure. These bones are commonly involved in bunion surgery and are distinguished from the metatarsal or phalangeal bones of the same toe that they sit beneath.

Coding & Documentation

The operative note needs to document that a bone or bone fragment was moved to a different position, whether by closed manipulation or open surgical exposure, and should specify any fixation device left in place, since that device is captured as a separate value on the same code rather than a separate procedure. Coders must distinguish open versus percutaneous versus external approaches carefully, as this changes the approach value substantially. A common mistake is coding a simple cast application or splinting as Reposition when no manipulation of bone position actually occurred, and another is failing to capture the device value when hardware is placed during the same reduction.

Commonly Confused With

RepairRepair is the main point of confusion, since both can appear in fracture care documentation; Repair applies only when no formal repositioning or fixation of a fragment takes place.
FusionFusion is distinct because it targets a joint to eliminate motion permanently, while Reposition preserves the bone's normal mobility once healed.
DivisionDivision is sometimes confused with corrective osteotomy, but Division simply separates bone without relocating it, whereas Reposition requires the fragment to be moved to a new, more functional position.