ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

0CTB0ZZ

Resection Parotid Duct, Right to No Qualifier with No Device, Open Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body SystemC Mouth and Throat
OperationT Resection
Body PartB Parotid Duct, Right
Approach0 Open
DeviceZ No Device
QualifierZ No Qualifier

Operation Definition

Cutting out or off, without replacement, all of a body part

Procedure Overview

This family covers the complete surgical removal of a mouth or throat structure, performed without replacing it with any substitute material. Tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, total glossectomy for tongue cancer, and total laryngectomy are the best-known examples, though resection also applies to complete removal of smaller structures such as the uvula or the epiglottis when the entire structure is taken. The defining feature is that the whole body part, not just a piece of it, is removed.

These procedures are most often performed to treat cancer, to relieve chronic infection or obstruction as with recurrent tonsillitis or sleep apnea, or to address a severely diseased structure that cannot be salvaged. Because losing an entire structure such as the tongue or larynx has major consequences for eating, breathing, and speaking, resection is frequently followed by reconstructive procedures performed either in the same operative session or as a staged second surgery.

Anatomy & Axis Detail

Parotid Duct, Right

Stensen's duct on the right carries saliva from the parotid gland across the masseter muscle to open into the oral cavity opposite the second upper molar, and it can become obstructed by sialolithiasis, stricture, or invaded by adjacent tumor. Resection of the entire duct is performed when disease is confined to the ductal structure itself rather than the gland, such as a ductal tumor or a duct so damaged by chronic obstruction that salvage is not feasible, and this is distinct from simple stone extraction or ductoplasty. Because the duct's course crosses the buccal branch of the facial nerve, care in dissection is documented, and coders should verify that the parotid gland parenchyma was left intact, which would make duct resection the correct body part rather than resection of the gland.

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

Coders need documentation confirming that an entire named body part was removed, not merely a lesion, margin, or portion of it; operative notes should describe complete excision of the structure by name, such as "total glossectomy" or "complete tonsillectomy." The most common error is applying resection when only a partial removal occurred, which should instead be coded as excision, or when the structure removed is better classified as an entire versus a specific defined body part in the ICD-10-PCS body part table. Coders should also verify whether reconstruction was performed in the same session, since that requires an additional replacement or supplement code alongside the resection.

Commonly Confused With

ExcisionExcision is the procedure most often confused with resection, and the distinction rests entirely on completeness: excision removes only a portion of a body part, while resection removes all of it.
ReplacementReplacement frequently follows resection in the same encounter when a substitute is placed for the removed structure, but the two remain separately coded steps.
DestructionDestruction is a different approach altogether, eliminating abnormal tissue in place through energy or chemicals rather than surgically cutting the structure out.