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ROOT OPERATIONS THAT TAKE OUT SOME OR ALL OF A BODY PART
THE MEDICAL AND surgical procedure section of ICD-10-PCS contains most, but not all, procedures typically reported in the hospital inpatient setting. As with all codes in ICD-10-PCS, the medical and surgical procedure codes contain seven characters, with each character representing one particular aspect of the procedure. The third character defines the root operation, or the objective of the procedure.
This article is the first in a series of articles that explains ICD10-PCS root operation groupings in this important and largest section of ICD-10-PCS.
ICD-10-PCS Root Operations
There are 31 root operations in the medical and surgical section, which are arranged in groups with similar attributes (see the table "Medical and Surgical Section Root Operations" on page 59 for an alphabetical listing of all 3 1 root operations in the medical and surgical section).
The 31 root operations are arranged into the following groupings:
* Root operations that take out some/ all of a body part
* Root operations that take out solids/fluids/gasses from a body part
* Root operations involving cutting or separation only
* Root operations that put in/put back or move some/ all of a body part
* Root operations that alter the diameter/route of a tubular body part
* Root operations that always involve a device
* Root operations involving examination only
* Root operations that include other repairs
* Root operations that include other objectives
If multiple procedures (as defined by distinct objectives) are performed, then multiple codes are assigned. The term anastomosis is not a root operation because it is a means of joining and is an integral part of another procedure such as a bypass or a resection. Therefore, it never stands alone. Incision is not a root term because it is a means of opening and is always an integral part of another procedure.
Root Operations that Take Out Some or All of a Body Part
The first grouping includes the following root operations:
* Excision
* Resection
* Detachment
* Destruction