ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

0LT90ZZ

Resection Trunk Tendon, Right to No Qualifier with No Device, Open Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body SystemL Tendons
OperationT Resection
Body Part9 Trunk Tendon, Right
Approach0 Open
DeviceZ No Device
QualifierZ 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

Trunk Tendon, Right

Trunk tendons on the right side, such as those of the abdominal wall, paraspinal musculature, or diaphragmatic attachments, are resected when a tumor, chronic tendinous avulsion, or infected tissue involves the tendon and cannot be managed by debridement alone. These tendons are broader and more sheet-like than limb tendons, often blending into fascia and aponeuroses, so the surgeon must define a clear excision margin distinguishing tendon proper from adjacent fascial or muscular tissue for accurate coding. Because trunk tendons anchor large muscle groups responsible for posture, respiration, or abdominal wall integrity, their resection can create a structural defect requiring mesh or fascial reconstruction, which should be captured as a separate procedure from the tendon resection itself in the operative documentation.

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.

Commonly Confused With

ExcisionResection is frequently confused with Excision, since both remove tendon tissue; the distinguishing factor is completeness, Resection takes the entire tendon body part while Excision removes only a portion of it.
ReplacementIt is also confused with Replacement when a tumor resection is immediately followed by grafting to rebuild the tendon, in which case the excision and reconstruction should be captured as two distinct procedures rather than one combined code.