tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2011 Issue 11

You Be the Coder: Define Partial Colectomy Procedure by Reconnection

Question: What defines a low-pelvic anastomosis as opposed to a partial colectomy -- is it the coloproctostomy hook-up or the location below the peritoneal reflection that distinguishes the two?Ohio SubscriberAnswer: Partial colectomy describes the surgical removal of a colon section. The surgeon can reconnect the end(s) of the resected bowel in various ways, one of which is a coloproctostomy. Another name for coloproctostomy is "low-pelvic anastomosis," which involves suturing the resected end of the colon to the rectum.In other words, a partial colectomy may include a low-pelvic anastomosis, or may involve a different method/location of attaching...

To read the full article, sign in and subscribe to tci General Surgery Coding Alert.

Thank you for choosing Find-A-Code, please Sign In to remove ads.