0DSPXZZ
Reposition Rectum to No Qualifier with No Device, External Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | D Gastrointestinal System |
| Operation | S Reposition |
| Body Part | P Rectum |
| Approach | X External |
| Device | Z No Device |
| Qualifier | Z 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 gastrointestinal structure to its normal anatomic location, or to another location that allows it to function properly, without cutting away or replacing any tissue. The classic example is surgical correction of malrotation in infants, where the small and large intestines are rearranged into a more typical configuration, but the category also covers reduction of a volvulus, correction of intestinal intussusception when done surgically rather than by enema, and repositioning a prolapsed rectum back into normal alignment.
These procedures address structures that are anatomically present and viable but sitting in the wrong place, whether from a congenital anomaly, a twist that developed over time, or a mechanical shift such as organ prolapse. Because the tissue itself is not removed or substituted, the surgery is fundamentally about untwisting, realigning, or fixing the organ in a corrected position, sometimes with sutures anchoring it there.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Rectum
Repositioning the rectum most often refers to correcting rectal prolapse, in which the rectal wall telescopes through the anus due to weakened pelvic floor support and lax attachments to the sacrum, or to reducing an internal intussusception confined within the pelvis. Because the rectum lies deep in the pelvis adjacent to the bladder, prostate or vagina, and sacrum, repositioning requires mobilizing it from surrounding fascial attachments without injuring these neighboring structures or the pelvic autonomic nerves that control continence and sexual function. The corrected rectum is typically secured to the presacral fascia, a fixation step performed alongside the repositioning to prevent recurrent prolapse. This procedure is distinct from resection of diseased rectal tissue, and documentation should clarify whether the prolapse was full-thickness or mucosal, since that distinction can affect the surgical approach chosen.
Approach: External
External approach applies to procedures performed directly on the skin or mucous membrane, or on an accessible body surface, without any instrumentation passing through a puncture or orifice. It covers things like manual reduction of a fracture or excision of a skin lesion. It differs from Via Natural or Artificial Opening in that no internal passage is entered at all, only the exposed surface.
Coding & Documentation
Assigning this code requires documentation that the organ was moved to a new or corrected position, distinct from documentation describing repair of a tear or removal of tissue. Operative notes for volvulus reduction or rectal prolapse correction should describe the maneuver used to untwist or realign the bowel and any fixation performed to hold it in place. A recurring coding error is applying Reposition when the procedure actually removed a segment of nonviable bowel after derotation, which instead requires Resection to be coded for that portion. Coders should also watch for cases where repositioning is performed alongside repair of an associated defect, both of which may need to be captured separately.