0LTN0ZZ
Resection Lower Leg Tendon, Right to No Qualifier with No Device, Open Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | L Tendons |
| Operation | T Resection |
| Body Part | N Lower Leg Tendon, Right |
| 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 removes an entire tendon, or a clearly defined tendon body part, without putting in any replacement material. This is a less common tendon procedure than repair or reposition, and it is typically performed when a tendon is so severely diseased, degenerated, or tumor-involved that removing it entirely is the safest or most effective option, rather than attempting to preserve and repair it.
Examples include excising a tendon segment infiltrated by a soft tissue tumor, removing a chronically diseased tendon that is causing ongoing pain and dysfunction with no reasonable prospect of repair, or excising an entire tendon as part of managing a severe infection that has destroyed the tissue. Because tendons connect muscle to bone, complete resection without any subsequent reconstruction can leave a functional deficit, so it is often paired with a separate reconstructive procedure, sometimes performed later, to restore movement.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Lower Leg Tendon, Right
Lower leg tendons on the right side, including the tibialis anterior, tibialis posterior, and peroneal tendons that control ankle and foot positioning, are relatively superficial and closely paired with their neurovascular counterparts within tight fascial compartments, and complete resection is typically driven by tumor, chronic infection, or a tendon destroyed by compartment syndrome or severe trauma. Because these tendons run through narrow osteofascial compartments, excising one entirely requires careful attention to avoid compromising the compartment's other contents or triggering swelling that raises compartment pressure postoperatively. Loss of a lower leg tendon can substantially impair foot dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, or eversion depending on which tendon is removed, so reconstruction with tendon transfer is common practice afterward. Given how many distinct tendons traverse this region, operative documentation must specify the exact tendon resected to support accurate code assignment.
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
This root operation applies only when an entire named tendon body part, not merely a segment or the whole tendon down to its full anatomic extent, is being cut out and nothing biological or synthetic is placed to take its structural role. Coders should confirm the operative note describes complete excision of the tendon at that body part value, and check whether any reconstructive graft was placed at the same time, since combined excision and grafting is coded as Replacement instead.
A common assignment mistake is applying Resection when only part of a tendon was removed and the remaining tendon was repaired or trimmed, which should instead be coded as Excision or Repair depending on the amount and intent of tissue removed. Coders should also watch for tumor cases where a wider excision spans tendon and adjacent soft tissue, which may require coding to more than one body system.