0LX74ZZ
Transfer Hand Tendon, Right to No Qualifier with No Device, Percutaneous Endoscopic Approach
Procedural Specifications
| Clinical Axis | Detail Definition |
|---|---|
| Section | 0 Medical and Surgical |
| Body System | L Tendons |
| Operation | X Transfer |
| Body Part | 7 Hand Tendon, Right |
| Approach | 4 Percutaneous Endoscopic |
| Device | Z No Device |
| Qualifier | Z No Qualifier |
Operation Definition
Moving, without taking out, all or a portion of a body part to another location to take over the function of all or a portion of a body part
Procedure Overview
Tendon transfer procedures move a functioning tendon, along with its muscle attachment, from its original insertion point to a new location so it can take over a movement that has been lost due to nerve injury, muscle paralysis, or irreparable tendon damage elsewhere. The tendon is not removed from the body; it is rerouted while keeping its blood supply and nerve connection intact.
This approach is used when restoring the original damaged tendon is not possible or would not regain function, such as after a peripheral nerve injury that has left a muscle group permanently unable to fire, or in longstanding rotator cuff tears where the original muscle-tendon unit is no longer viable. A classic example is transferring a wrist flexor tendon to restore finger extension after radial nerve palsy.
Because the transferred tendon must learn a new job, rehabilitation includes retraining the patient to consciously activate the muscle for its new purpose, in addition to standard healing time.
Anatomy & Axis Detail
Hand Tendon, Right
Transfer of the right hand tendon relocates a tendon within the hand itself, such as in tendon transfer procedures addressing intrinsic muscle loss from ulnar or median nerve injury, or opponensplasty performed to restore thumb opposition when the thenar muscles are paralyzed. Hand tendons are small, closely spaced, and operate through pulley systems that demand precise tensioning and gliding to preserve fine motor and grip function, so even small errors in the new insertion point can significantly affect dexterity. Surgeons choose a donor tendon with adequate excursion and route it through or around existing pulleys to recreate the specific missing movement, such as thumb opposition or finger abduction. Right-side identification matters for correlating outcomes with hand dominance and functional demand.
Approach: Percutaneous Endoscopic
Percutaneous Endoscopic combines a puncture through skin or mucous membrane with insertion of an endoscope to visualize the procedure internally, as in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. It is distinguished from plain Percutaneous by the presence of scope-guided visualization, and from Via Natural or Artificial Opening Endoscopic by its route being a new puncture rather than an existing orifice or stoma.
Coding & Documentation
Correct code assignment depends on documentation identifying both the tendon that was moved and the body part whose function it is now taking over, since ICD-10-PCS captures the qualifier for the new functional purpose. The operative note should describe the tendon's original attachment, its new insertion site, and confirm that it retained its native blood and nerve supply throughout the move.
A common mistake is coding a tendon transfer as Transplantation, which applies only when tissue from another individual or a different body site is used with no native vascular connection preserved. Another frequent error is failing to capture the qualifier value that reflects the body part whose function is being restored, since Transfer in ICD-10-PCS requires specifying what the moved tendon is now accomplishing.