ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

0SWL38Z

Revision Tarsometatarsal Joint, Left to No Qualifier with Spacer, Percutaneous Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body SystemS Lower Joints
OperationW Revision
Body PartL Tarsometatarsal Joint, Left
Approach3 Percutaneous
Device8 Spacer
QualifierZ No Qualifier

Operation Definition

Correcting, to the extent possible, a portion of a malfunctioning device or the position of a displaced device

Procedure Overview

Revision procedures correct a malfunctioning device already implanted in a lower joint, or reposition a device that has shifted out of place, without necessarily removing and replacing the whole implant. Examples include tightening a loosened hip component, adjusting a worn knee liner, or repositioning a dislocated joint implant back into alignment. The reason for surgery is a problem with hardware from an earlier operation rather than new injury to native tissue.

These procedures are often needed years after an initial joint replacement, as components can loosen, wear, or shift with normal use. Surgeons aim to fix the specific mechanical problem while preserving as much of the existing implant and surrounding bone as possible, since more extensive revisions carry greater surgical risk and longer recovery.

Anatomy & Axis Detail

Tarsometatarsal Joint, Left

Revision of the left tarsometatarsal joint corrects a prior surgical outcome at the Lisfranc complex, where the midfoot bones articulate with the metatarsal bases, an area often stabilized surgically after fracture-dislocation or progressive arthritic collapse. The considerable mechanical demand placed on this junction during push-off can cause fixation hardware to loosen or fracture, or fusion attempts to fail to consolidate, leading to persistent pain and midfoot instability that revision surgery aims to resolve through repositioning, replacing, or removing the previously placed material. Precise documentation of the type of correction performed, whether adjusting an existing device, substituting new hardware, or removing malfunctioning components, is essential given the load-bearing role of this joint in normal foot mechanics.

Approach: Percutaneous

Percutaneous describes entry by needle or instrument puncture through the skin or mucous membrane to reach the site of the procedure, without cutting the tissue open or using a visualizing scope. It differs from Open in that the site itself is never exposed, and from Percutaneous Endoscopic in that no endoscope is used to see internal structures. Common examples include needle biopsies and injections.

Device: Spacer

In Medical and Surgical procedures, a Spacer is a temporary, non-articulating device left in a joint or space after a component is removed, most often an antibiotic-impregnated cement block placed during a staged joint revision to control infection while preserving space and alignment. It is not intended to move like a real joint. It differs from an Articulating Spacer, which is shaped to permit some motion during the interim period, and from a permanent Synthetic Substitute.

Coding & Documentation

Documentation needs to identify that an existing device was the target of correction, whether through repositioning, adjustment, or partial component exchange, and that the fix did not amount to a full swap of the entire prosthesis. Notes describing loosening, malposition, or component wear typically support Revision. A common error arises when a full component exchange occurs during a documented revision surgery; if the entire device is replaced, the correct root operation is Replacement, even though the surgeon may call it revision arthroplasty.

Commonly Confused With

ReplacementRevision is most commonly confused with Replacement because both terms appear in the context of a failed prior implant; the difference is whether the existing device is corrected or repositioned versus entirely exchanged.
RemovalIt can also be confused with Removal, since Removal alone takes hardware out without correcting malfunction or reinserting anything in its place.