ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

07UB07Z

Supplement Lymphatic, Mesenteric to No Qualifier with Autologous Tissue Substitute, Open Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body System7 Lymphatic and Hemic Systems
OperationU Supplement
Body PartB Lymphatic, Mesenteric
Approach0 Open
Device7 Autologous Tissue Substitute
QualifierZ No Qualifier

Operation Definition

Putting in or on biological or synthetic material that physically reinforces and/or augments the function of a portion of a body part

Procedure Overview

This family covers procedures where a surgeon places biological or synthetic material onto or into a structure of the lymphatic and hemic system to reinforce it or bolster a function that has been weakened, most often after injury. The leading example is splenic salvage surgery: when the spleen has been lacerated in blunt abdominal trauma, wrapping it in absorbable mesh compresses the injured tissue and supports it while it heals, allowing the surgeon to avoid removing the organ altogether. Patients benefit because the spleen filters blood and helps fight certain bacteria, so keeping it intact lowers the lifetime risk of severe infection that follows a splenectomy.

The material itself is not doing the healing directly; it is holding tissue together and adding structural support so that the body's own repair processes can proceed without the organ falling apart or re-bleeding. Outside of splenic trauma, this family sees limited use elsewhere in the lymphatic system, since lymph nodes and channels are rarely reinforced with an implanted product.

Anatomy & Axis Detail

Lymphatic, Mesenteric

Mesenteric lymphatic tissue forms an extensive network of nodes and collecting vessels embedded in the mesentery that drains the small intestine and part of the colon, channeling chyle toward the cisterna chyli. Supplementation in this region typically addresses congenital lymphatic malformations, chylous leaks, or defects following extensive mesenteric resection, using grafted lymphatic tissue or a biologic patch to restore structural integrity and flow capacity. Because the mesenteric bed is richly vascularized and mobile, surgeons must avoid compromising bowel perfusion while placing supplemental material, and documentation should identify whether the procedure targets a localized segment or a broader mesenteric distribution to support correct root operation selection.

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: Autologous Tissue Substitute

Autologous Tissue Substitute identifies a device value where material harvested from the patient's own body, such as an autograft, is used to replace or reconstruct a body part. Its defining feature is tissue origin from the patient, setting it apart from Nonautologous Tissue Substitute, sourced from a donor or animal, and Synthetic Substitute, made of manufactured material.

Coding & Documentation

A coder should look for documentation that a mesh, wrap, or similar reinforcing material was left in place around an existing structure, most commonly the spleen, distinguishing it from a laceration that was simply sutured closed. The operative note needs to specify both the material used and that it augments rather than replaces the organ. The most frequent error is defaulting to Repair whenever a splenic injury is fixed surgically, when the presence of a retained mesh wrap actually calls for Supplement with the correct device value recorded.

Commonly Confused With

RepairRepair is the family most often confused with this one, and the dividing line is whether any material is left behind: direct suturing of a splenic tear without an implant is Repair, while wrapping the organ in mesh is Supplement.
ExcisionExcision is a different scenario entirely, used when a damaged portion of the spleen is removed rather than reinforced, and Replacement would apply only if the native tissue were being substituted outright rather than supported.