The 3rd character refers to the root operation or the objective of the procedure.

Mouth and Throat

  • 0C0 - Alteration

    Modifying the anatomic structure of a body part without affecting the function of the body part — Principal purpose is to improve appearance

  • 0C2 - Change

    Taking out or off a device from a body part and putting back an identical or similar device in or on the same body part without cutting or puncturing the skin or a mucous membrane — All CHANGE procedures are coded using the approach EXTERNAL

  • 0C5 - Destruction

    Physical eradication of all or a portion of a body part by the direct use of energy, force, or a destructive agent — None of the body part is physically taken out

  • 0C7 - Dilation

    Expanding an orifice or the lumen of a tubular body part — The orifice can be a natural orifice or an artificially created orifice. Accomplished by stretching a tubular body part using intraluminal pressure or by cutting part of the orifice or wall of the tubular body part

  • 0C9 - Drainage

    Taking or letting out fluids and/or gases from a body part — The qualifier DIAGNOSTIC is used to identify drainage procedures that are biopsies

  • 0CB - Excision

    Cutting out or off, without replacement, a portion of a body part — The qualifier DIAGNOSTIC is used to identify excision procedures that are biopsies

  • 0CC - Extirpation

    Taking or cutting out solid matter from a body part — The solid matter may be an abnormal byproduct of a biological function or a foreign body; it may be imbedded in a body part or in the lumen of a tubular body part. The solid matter may or may not have been previously broken into pieces

  • 0CD - Extraction

    Pulling or stripping out or off all or a portion of a body part by the use of force — The qualifier DIAGNOSTIC is used to identify extraction procedures that are biopsies

  • 0CF - Fragmentation

    Breaking solid matter in a body part into pieces — Physical force (e.g., manual, ultrasonic) applied directly or indirectly is used to break the solid matter into pieces. The solid matter may be an abnormal byproduct of a biological function or a foreign body. The pieces of solid matter are not taken out

  • 0CH - Insertion

    Putting in a nonbiological appliance that monitors, assists, performs, or prevents a physiological function but does not physically take the place of a body part

  • 0CJ - Inspection

    Visually and/or manually exploring a body part — Visual exploration may be performed with or without optical instrumentation. Manual exploration may be performed directly or through intervening body layers

  • 0CL - Occlusion

    Completely closing an orifice or the lumen of a tubular body part — The orifice can be a natural orifice or an artificially created orifice

  • 0CM - Reattachment

    Putting back in or on all or a portion of a separated body part to its normal location or other suitable location — Vascular circulation and nervous pathways may or may not be reestablished

  • 0CN - Release

    Freeing a body part from an abnormal physical constraint by cutting or by the use of force — Some of the restraining tissue may be taken out but none of the body part is taken out

  • 0CP - Removal

    Taking out or off a device from a body part — If a device is taken out and a similar device put in without cutting or puncturing the skin or mucous membrane, the procedure is coded to the root operation CHANGE. Otherwise, the procedure for taking out a device is coded to the root operation REMOVAL

  • 0CQ - Repair

    Restoring, to the extent possible, a body part to its normal anatomic structure and function — Used only when the method to accomplish the repair is not one of the other root operations

  • 0CR - Replacement

    Putting in or on biological or synthetic material that physically takes the place and/or function of all or a portion of a body part — The body part may have been taken out or replaced, or may be taken out, physically eradicated, or rendered nonfunctional during the Replacement procedure. A Removal procedure is coded for taking out the device used in a previous replacement procedure

  • 0CS - Reposition

    Moving to its normal location, or other suitable location, all or a portion of a body part — The body part is moved to a new location from an abnormal location, or from a normal location where it is not functioning correctly. The body part may or may not be cut out or off to be moved to the new location

  • 0CT - Resection

    Cutting out or off, without replacement, all of a body part

  • 0CV - Restriction

    Partially closing an orifice or the lumen of a tubular body part — The orifice can be a natural orifice or an artificially created orifice

  • 0CW - Revision

    Correcting, to the extent possible, a portion of a malfunctioning device or the position of a displaced device — Revision can include correcting a malfunctioning or displaced device by taking out or putting in components of the device such as a screw or pin

  • 0CU - Supplement

    Putting in or on biological or synthetic material that physically reinforces and/or augments the function of a portion of a body part — The biological material is non-living, or is living and from the same individual. The body part may have been previously replaced, and the Supplement procedure is performed to physically reinforce and/or augment the function of the replaced body part

  • 0CX - Transfer

    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 — The body part transferred remains connected to its vascular and nervous supply