0QW605Z
Revision Upper Femur, Right to No Qualifier with External Fixation Device, Open Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | Q Lower Bones |
| Operation | W Revision |
| Body Part | 6 Upper Femur, Right |
| Approach | 0 Open |
| Device | 5 External Fixation Device |
| Qualifier | Z 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 address a device that was previously implanted in a lower bone - such as a rod, plate, screw, or bone cement construct - when it has shifted position, is malfunctioning, or is otherwise not working as intended. The bone itself is not the primary target; the hardware or material within or against it is.
These procedures are common after orthopedic fixation surgery when follow-up imaging or symptoms reveal that a fixation device has loosened, backed out, broken, or migrated. Surgeons go back in to reposition, tighten, repair, or otherwise correct the existing device to the extent possible, aiming to avoid a full device replacement if the original hardware can still function once adjusted.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Upper Femur, Right
The right upper femur, spanning the femoral head, neck, and proximal shaft, is a frequent site of hip fracture fixation using intramedullary nails, sliding hip screws, or plates, as well as the stem component of a hip prosthesis. Revision addresses complications like screw cutout through osteoporotic femoral head bone, nail migration, or plate loosening, issues that arise because this region concentrates significant mechanical stress at the femoral neck-shaft angle during weight-bearing. Elderly patients with fragility fractures are particularly susceptible to fixation failure here, making revision a not-uncommon follow-up procedure after initial trauma surgery. The code applies specifically to correcting or repositioning hardware already implanted in the right upper femur, not to placing new fixation or extracting the device.
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.
Device: External Fixation Device
This is the general external fixation device value, used when pins or wires anchored in bone are connected to a stabilizing frame outside the body to hold a fracture or joint in position, without specifying a more particular frame configuration. It contrasts with the more specific External Fixation Device subtypes - Monoplanar, Ring, Hybrid, and Limb Lengthening - which describe the frame's geometry or added lengthening function.
Coding & Documentation
The documentation needs to describe correction of a device already in place - repositioning a displaced screw, replacing a broken segment of a rod, or repairing a malfunctioning fixation component - rather than removal of the device followed by insertion of a brand-new one. If the surgeon fully swaps out the device rather than fixing the one already present, Removal plus Insertion or Replacement is usually the more accurate combination.
A frequent assignment mistake is coding Revision for a straightforward hardware removal with no correction performed, or for a first-time hardware placement. Coders should also verify the correct body part value reflects the bone where the device sits, since Revision codes are structured around device location rather than the device type itself.