0VTK4ZZ
Resection Epididymis, Left to No Qualifier with No Device, Percutaneous Endoscopic Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | V Male Reproductive System |
| Operation | T Resection |
| Body Part | K Epididymis, Left |
| Approach | 4 Percutaneous Endoscopic |
| Device | Z No Device |
| Qualifier | Z No Qualifier |
Operation Definition
Cutting out or off, without replacement, all of a body part
Procedure Overview
Resection procedures remove an entire body part of the male reproductive system without replacing it with other material. Orchiectomy - removal of one or both testes - is the most common example, performed for testicular cancer, as part of treatment for advanced prostate cancer, for severe trauma, or occasionally for chronic pain or infection unresponsive to other treatment. Other resection procedures in this family include removal of the entire epididymis or complete removal of the prostate and seminal vesicles.
These are typically definitive procedures aimed at eliminating diseased or damaged tissue rather than preserving it. Because the organ is removed in full, resection often has permanent effects on fertility and hormone production, which is part of why patients considering these procedures discuss options like sperm banking or hormone replacement beforehand.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Epididymis, Left
The left epididymis is the tightly coiled tubular structure adjacent to the left testis that stores and matures spermatozoa prior to ejaculation. Complete resection is indicated for epididymal masses, persistent infection unresponsive to medical therapy, or symptomatic cysts that distort the duct, and the procedure is performed while sparing the testis whenever the pathology allows. Surgeons typically approach through a scrotal incision, dissecting the epididymis free from the tunica vaginalis and testicular surface before dividing its attachment to the vas deferens. Coding accuracy depends on the note specifying that the epididymis itself, not the testis or spermatic cord, was the structure entirely removed, since concurrent procedures on adjacent scrotal contents are captured separately.
Approach: Percutaneous Endoscopic
Percutaneous Endoscopic combines a puncture through skin or mucous membrane with insertion of an endoscope to visualize the procedure internally, as in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. It is distinguished from plain Percutaneous by the presence of scope-guided visualization, and from Via Natural or Artificial Opening Endoscopic by its route being a new puncture rather than an existing orifice or stoma.
Coding & Documentation
Coders assigning Resection need pathology or operative documentation confirming the entire organ was removed, not just a portion. A frequent error is coding Resection when only a partial excision was performed, such as a partial orchiectomy for a small testicular mass with preservation of remaining tissue - that scenario belongs under Excision instead. Laterality also matters: unilateral versus bilateral orchiectomy uses different body part values, and the note should state clearly whether one or both testes were removed.