ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

0QSN3ZZ

Reposition Metatarsal, Right to No Qualifier with No Device, Percutaneous Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body SystemQ Lower Bones
OperationS Reposition
Body PartN Metatarsal, Right
Approach3 Percutaneous
DeviceZ No Device
QualifierZ No Qualifier

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, Right

The right metatarsals are the five long bones forming the forefoot skeleton, each articulating proximally with a tarsal bone and distally with a toe phalanx, and together they help form the transverse arch and bear weight during the push-off phase of gait. Reposition is performed when a metatarsal fracture or dislocation, frequently at the base of the fifth metatarsal or across the Lisfranc joint complex, has displaced the bone from its normal alignment. Restoring proper length and rotation matters because metatarsal malalignment can lead to abnormal weight distribution and painful callus formation under the sole. The approach, closed manipulation or open reduction, along with identification of which specific metatarsal was treated, should be reflected in the documentation.

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.

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.