Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) Practice Exam

The root operation that describes the removal of a structure is the option of resection. This term specifically refers to the surgical process of removing all of a specific anatomical structure. For example, if a tumor is present in an organ, resection involves taking out the entire organ or a significant portion of it, thereby effectively removing the entire structure.

In contrast, while excision also involves removal, it typically pertains to the removal of a portion of a structure rather than the whole. Extraction relates more to the removal of material from the body, such as taking out a foreign body or dental extraction, rather than the removal of anatomical structures in a broader surgical context. Destruction implies damaging or eliminating the structure without necessarily removing it, often through techniques like cauterization or ablation.

Therefore, resection is the most accurate term to use when you are specifically referring to the total removal of a structure in the ICD-10-PCS coding system.