Insertion: Root Operation H
The definition for the Insertion root operation provided in the 2014 ICD-10-PCS Reference Manual is “Putting in a non-biological device that monitors, assists, performs, or prevents a physiological function but does not physically take the place of a body part.” The body part value represents the site that the device was placed. The device value represents the type of device that was inserted, such as cardiac lead, intraluminal device, or hearing device.
It is important for coders to remember that if a device is inserted to meet an objective other than Insertion, then the root operation of the underlying objective of the procedure should be used. For example, if a procedure to insert a coronary stent during percutaneous coronary angioplasty is performed, the root operation is Dilation and the intraluminal device is captured in the sixth character. The root operation Dilation is assigned as the objective if the procedure is to expand the lumen of the coronary artery and maintain it with the stent placement.
Some examples of Insertion procedures include placement of a pin in a nondisplaced fracture, placement of a Port-A-Cath, open insertion of a multiple channel cochlear implant of the right ear, and cystoscopy with placement of brachytherapy seeds in the prostate gland.