0FT20ZZ
Resection Liver, Left Lobe to No Qualifier with No Device, Open Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | F Hepatobiliary System and Pancreas |
| Operation | T Resection |
| Body Part | 2 Liver, Left Lobe |
| Approach | 0 Open |
| Device | Z No Device |
| Qualifier | Z No Qualifier |
Operation Definition
Cutting out or off, without replacement, all of a body part
Procedure Overview
Resection covers the complete removal of a hepatobiliary or pancreatic organ or anatomically distinct portion, without replacing it with a graft or device. The most familiar example is cholecystectomy, the complete removal of the gallbladder, typically performed for symptomatic gallstones, chronic inflammation, or gallbladder cancer. Other examples include total pancreatectomy and complete removal of an anatomically whole lobe of the liver when disease affects the entire segment.
These procedures are chosen when disease, such as cancer, severe infection, or irreversible organ damage, involves an entire anatomically distinct body part and leaving any of it behind would not resolve the underlying problem. Because the liver and pancreas perform essential metabolic and digestive functions, surgeons carefully weigh how much can be safely removed before turning to resection of a whole part rather than a partial excision.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Liver, Left Lobe
The left lobe of the liver, smaller than the right and further divided into medial and lateral segments by the falciform ligament, receives its blood supply from the left hepatic artery and left portal vein branch and drains through the left hepatic vein. It is resected for tumors, symptomatic focal nodular hyperplasia, or as the donor segment in living-donor transplantation, since its more compact vascular anatomy makes isolated removal technically feasible. A left hepatectomy involves formal division at the umbilical fissure or Cantlie's line with ligation of the corresponding hilar structures before parenchymal transection. Because the operation removes the entire left lobe rather than a wedge or single segment, it is documented as a Resection, distinguishing it from lesser procedures such as segmentectomy or wedge excision limited to Excision coding.
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.
Coding & Documentation
For Resection to apply, the documentation must show that an entire anatomically distinct body part, such as the whole gallbladder, an entire hepatic lobe, or the whole pancreas, was removed, not just a margin or lesion. When only a portion of an organ is taken, such as a wedge of liver tissue or the pancreatic tail alone, the case should instead be coded as an excision, a distinction that trips up coders regularly. Pathology and operative reports should be cross-referenced to confirm the full extent of what was removed and whether any organ tissue remained in the patient.