1. Mary Jo Bowie MS, BS, AAS, RHIA, RHIT

2. CHAPTER 30
Placement Section

3. Placement Section
The third section within ICD-10-PCS is the Placement section.
The character 1 value for the Placement section is 2.

4. Character 2—Body System
The value of character 2, body system, has
two values for the Placement section.
W—Indicating anatomical regions
Y—Indicating anatomical orifices

5. Character 3—Root Operations
For the Placement section, there are seven
root operations used:
Change—Value of 0
Compression—Value of 1
Dressing—Value of 2
Immobilization—Value of 3

6. Additional Root Operations for Placement
Packing—Value of 4
Removal—Value of 5
Traction—Value of 6

7. Applications
Cast applications—To locate the Table for cast applications, the term “Immobilization” should be referenced in the Index.
Dressing applications—To locate the Table for dressing applications, the term “Dressing” should be referenced in the Index.

8. Body Region or Body Orifices—Character 4
Character 4 in the Placement section indicates body region
or body orifices.
Body regions—There are 30 values that are used for body regions and are used with the body system value of W.
Body orifices (Natural)—There are six values that are used with the body system value of Y.

9. Approach—Character 5
Since all placement procedures are performed directly on the skin or mucous membrane or performed indirectly by applying external force through the skin or mucous membrane, the approach is always external.
The value is X.

10. Character 6—Devices
For the Placement section, different values are used for character 6 for the W or Y Body Systems.
Coders need to reference the Tables.

11. Character 6 for the W Body Systems
For the W Body Systems, there are 12 possible values for character 6.
The values indicate the device placed during the procedure, such as a cast, splint, bandage, etc.
Except for casts for fractures and dislocations, devices are off the shelf and do not require extensive adjustment.
If extensive adjustment is required, the rehabilitation section should be used.

12. Character 6 for the Y Body System
For the Y Body System, there is only one value 5 indicating packing material.
Use of this value indicates that packing material remained in the body after the procedure.

13. Character 7—Qualifiers
For the Placement section, the qualifier
value is always Z, indicating no qualifier.

14. Key Points to Remember
The first character value for the Placement section is 2.
The second character value for the Placement section indicates either anatomical region or body orifice.
The third character value has seven possible values.

15. Additional Points
The fourth character value in the Placement section indicates body region or body orifices.
The fifth character value is always External with a value of X.

16. Final Points
For the sixth character value, there are different values for the W and Y body systems.
For the seventh character value for the Placement section, the value is always Z, no qualifier.

17. Coding Practice Select the code for the following:
Removal of Splint, right shoulder

18. Coding Practice Solution
Main term to reference in index:
Removal
Modifying term:
Arm, then upper, right
Code Assignment:
2W5AX1Z