0PS604Z
Reposition Scapula, Left to No Qualifier with Internal Fixation Device, Open Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | P Upper Bones |
| Operation | S Reposition |
| Body Part | 6 Scapula, Left |
| Approach | 0 Open |
| Device | 4 Internal Fixation 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
This family describes moving a bone of the skull, face, chest wall, or upper extremity back to its normal anatomic location, or to another location that will function better, without cutting the bone free and removing it from the body. It's the code family used for reducing a displaced fracture, correcting a malunion, or realigning a bone that has shifted out of its normal position due to trauma or a congenital condition.
The procedure preserves the bone's own blood supply and continuity while adjusting its position - fixation with pins, plates, or screws is often part of the same operative episode to hold the corrected alignment in place.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Scapula, Left
On the left side, the scapula sits over the posterior rib cage and articulates with the humerus at the glenoid to form the shoulder's socket, gliding freely across the chest wall during arm movement. Reposition is indicated for a displaced fracture of the scapular body, neck, or glenoid rim, or for correcting chronic malposition that is disrupting shoulder joint mechanics or causing impingement. Because the scapula's stability depends heavily on the surrounding rotator cuff and periscapular musculature rather than bony constraint alone, successful repositioning often requires reestablishing appropriate soft tissue tension at the same time as correcting the bony alignment. Left-sided scapular work is documented separately from the right, and surgeons note the specific fracture pattern or deformity driving the correction.
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.
Device: Internal Fixation Device
Internal fixation device is the general value for hardware such as plates, screws, or rods placed within the body to stabilize bone or joint, used when a more specific configuration is not indicated. It stands in contrast to the named subtypes - Rigid Plate, Intramedullary, Sustained Compression, and Intramedullary Limb Lengthening - which specify how the hardware achieves stabilization.
Coding & Documentation
A coder looks for language describing realignment, reduction, or repositioning of a fragment or whole bone as the defining clue, distinguishing it from repair language about restoring damaged tissue in place. Fixation devices used to hold the new position should be captured through the device value on the same code rather than as a separate procedure when performed at the same operative site. A common error is coding an open reduction and internal fixation entirely as repair, missing that the reduction component is reposition while the fixation is captured through the device character. Another pitfall is failing to distinguish reposition from resection when a bone fragment is removed rather than realigned.