ICD-10-PCS Code For Occipital-Cervical Joint: Procedure Code Group Overview

The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) code group 0RB0 includes procedures performed to excise joint structures in the occipital-cervical anatomical location. These ICD-10-PCS codes are used for inpatient documentation when a portion or all of the occipital-cervical joint is surgically removed for diagnostic or therapeutic reasons. Accurate coding within the ICD-10-PCS 0RB0 group is essential for proper inpatient reimbursement, as it captures the excisional procedure performed and determines appropriate case mix and payment.

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Occipital-Cervical Joint Excision Procedure Overview

This procedure group includes excision procedures that remove all or part of the occipital-cervical joint, a component of the upper joints of the spine. These procedures target the occiput-atlas/axis region and surrounding joint structures within the upper joints body system. Accurate coding is important for inpatient reimbursement because it documents the specific excisional procedure performed and supports appropriate case mix and payment.

Code Attributes

Character	ICD-10-PCS Category	Code Group Details
0	Section	Medical and Surgical
R	Body System	Upper Joints
B	Operation	Excision
0	Body Part	Occipital-cervical Joint

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ICD-10-PCS Code For Occipital-Cervical Joint: Procedure Code Group Overview

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Occipital-Cervical Joint Excision Procedure Overview

Code Attributes

Character	ICD-10-PCS Category	Code Group Details
0	Section	Medical and Surgical
R	Body System	Upper Joints
B	Operation	Excision
0	Body Part	Occipital-cervical Joint

When to Use

Use a code from this group when the operative intent is to excise part or all of the occipital-cervical joint and no prosthetic or biological replacement is inserted. Select the appropriate code when documentation clearly indicates excision as the primary operation on the occipital-cervical joint without replacement.

ICD-10-PCS Codes

6 rows

ICD-10-PCS Code	Description
0RB00ZX	Excision of Occipital-cervical Joint, Open Approach, Diagnostic
0RB00ZZ	Excision of Occipital-cervical Joint, Open Approach
0RB03ZX	Excision of Occipital-cervical Joint, Percutaneous Approach, Diagnostic
0RB03ZZ	Excision of Occipital-cervical Joint, Percutaneous Approach
0RB04ZX	Excision of Occipital-cervical Joint, Percutaneous Endoscopic Approach, Diagnostic
0RB04ZZ	Excision of Occipital-cervical Joint, Percutaneous Endoscopic Approach

DRG Codes

18 rows

DRG Code	Description
028	Spinal Procedures with MCC
029	Spinal Procedures with CC or Spinal Neurostimulators
030	Spinal Procedures without CC/MCC
518	Back and Neck Procedures Except Spinal Fusion with MCC or Disc Device or Neurostimulator
519	Back and Neck Procedures Except Spinal Fusion with CC
520	Back and Neck Procedures Except Spinal Fusion without CC/MCC
820	Lymphoma and Leukemia with Major O.R. Procedures with MCC
821	Lymphoma and Leukemia with Major O.R. Procedures with CC
822	Lymphoma and Leukemia with Major O.R. Procedures without CC/MCC
826	Myeloproliferative Disorders or Poorly Differentiated Neoplasms with Major O.R. Procedures with MCC

Showing 1–10 of 18

Typical Clinical Scenarios

An elderly patient with severe degenerative osteoarthritis of the occipito-atlantal joint presents with progressive neck pain, limited range of motion, and failure of conservative therapies (physical therapy, injections). Admission is for planned inpatient surgical excision of the affected occipital-cervical joint to remove osteophytes and relieve mechanical pain without insertion of a prosthetic. Typical codes: 0RB00ZZ
A middle-aged patient arrives emergently after a high-energy trauma with focal joint fragments and synovial disruption at the occipital-cervical junction causing neurologic compromise and instability; after stabilization, the patient undergoes an open excisional debridement of the occipital-cervical joint to remove irreparably damaged joint tissue. Typical codes: 0RB00ZZ
A patient with chronic atlanto-occipital joint pain previously treated with minimally invasive procedures returns for diagnostic excision when imaging and injections are inconclusive; a percutaneous or percutaneous endoscopic excision is performed to obtain tissue for diagnosis and to attempt symptom relief without replacement. Typical codes: 0RB03ZX, 0RB04ZX

Related Codes

0RB1-CERVICAL-VERTEBRAL-JOINT-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Cervical Vertebral Joint: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RB3-CERVICAL-VERTEBRAL-DISC-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Cervical Vertebral Disc: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RB4-CERVICOTHORACIC-VERTEBRAL-JOINT-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Cervicothoracic Vertebral Joint: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RB5-CERVICOTHORACIC-VERTEBRAL-DISC-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Cervicothoracic Vertebral Disc: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RB6-THORACIC-VERTEBRAL-JOINT-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Thoracic Vertebral Joint: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RB9-THORACIC-VERTEBRAL-DISC-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Thoracic Vertebral Disc: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RBA-THORACOLUMBAR-VERTEBRAL-JOINT-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Thoracolumbar Vertebral Joint: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RBB-THORACOLUMBAR-VERTEBRAL-DISC-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Thoracolumbar Vertebral Disc: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RBC-TEMPOROMANDIBULAR-JOINT-RIGHT-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Temporomandibular Joint Right: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RBD-TEMPOROMANDIBULAR-JOINT-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Temporomandibular Joint, Left: Procedure Code Group Overview

Showing 1–10 of 28

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

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When to Use

ICD-10-PCS Codes

6 rows

ICD-10-PCS Code	Description
0RB00ZX	Excision of Occipital-cervical Joint, Open Approach, Diagnostic
0RB00ZZ	Excision of Occipital-cervical Joint, Open Approach
0RB03ZX	Excision of Occipital-cervical Joint, Percutaneous Approach, Diagnostic
0RB03ZZ	Excision of Occipital-cervical Joint, Percutaneous Approach
0RB04ZX	Excision of Occipital-cervical Joint, Percutaneous Endoscopic Approach, Diagnostic
0RB04ZZ	Excision of Occipital-cervical Joint, Percutaneous Endoscopic Approach

DRG Codes

18 rows

DRG Code	Description
028	Spinal Procedures with MCC
029	Spinal Procedures with CC or Spinal Neurostimulators
030	Spinal Procedures without CC/MCC
518	Back and Neck Procedures Except Spinal Fusion with MCC or Disc Device or Neurostimulator
519	Back and Neck Procedures Except Spinal Fusion with CC
520	Back and Neck Procedures Except Spinal Fusion without CC/MCC
820	Lymphoma and Leukemia with Major O.R. Procedures with MCC
821	Lymphoma and Leukemia with Major O.R. Procedures with CC
822	Lymphoma and Leukemia with Major O.R. Procedures without CC/MCC
826	Myeloproliferative Disorders or Poorly Differentiated Neoplasms with Major O.R. Procedures with MCC

Showing 1–10 of 18

Typical Clinical Scenarios

An elderly patient with severe degenerative osteoarthritis of the occipito-atlantal joint presents with progressive neck pain, limited range of motion, and failure of conservative therapies (physical therapy, injections). Admission is for planned inpatient surgical excision of the affected occipital-cervical joint to remove osteophytes and relieve mechanical pain without insertion of a prosthetic. Typical codes: 0RB00ZZ
A middle-aged patient arrives emergently after a high-energy trauma with focal joint fragments and synovial disruption at the occipital-cervical junction causing neurologic compromise and instability; after stabilization, the patient undergoes an open excisional debridement of the occipital-cervical joint to remove irreparably damaged joint tissue. Typical codes: 0RB00ZZ
A patient with chronic atlanto-occipital joint pain previously treated with minimally invasive procedures returns for diagnostic excision when imaging and injections are inconclusive; a percutaneous or percutaneous endoscopic excision is performed to obtain tissue for diagnosis and to attempt symptom relief without replacement. Typical codes: 0RB03ZX, 0RB04ZX

Related Codes

0RB1-CERVICAL-VERTEBRAL-JOINT-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Cervical Vertebral Joint: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RB3-CERVICAL-VERTEBRAL-DISC-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Cervical Vertebral Disc: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RB4-CERVICOTHORACIC-VERTEBRAL-JOINT-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Cervicothoracic Vertebral Joint: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RB5-CERVICOTHORACIC-VERTEBRAL-DISC-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Cervicothoracic Vertebral Disc: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RB6-THORACIC-VERTEBRAL-JOINT-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Thoracic Vertebral Joint: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RB9-THORACIC-VERTEBRAL-DISC-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Thoracic Vertebral Disc: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RBA-THORACOLUMBAR-VERTEBRAL-JOINT-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Thoracolumbar Vertebral Joint: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RBB-THORACOLUMBAR-VERTEBRAL-DISC-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Thoracolumbar Vertebral Disc: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RBC-TEMPOROMANDIBULAR-JOINT-RIGHT-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Temporomandibular Joint Right: Procedure Code Group Overview

0RBD-TEMPOROMANDIBULAR-JOINT-EXCISION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Temporomandibular Joint, Left: Procedure Code Group Overview

Showing 1–10 of 28

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

ICD-10-PCS Code For Occipital-Cervical Joint: Procedure Code Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-PCS Code For Occipital-Cervical Joint: Procedure Code Group Overview policy alerts

Occipital-Cervical Joint Excision Procedure Overview

Code Attributes

ICD-10-PCS Code For Occipital-Cervical Joint: Procedure Code Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-PCS Code For Occipital-Cervical Joint: Procedure Code Group Overview policy alerts

Occipital-Cervical Joint Excision Procedure Overview

Code Attributes

When to Use

ICD-10-PCS Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which ICD-10-PCS codes are included in the Occipital-Cervical Joint excision group?

What body system and operation are represented by ICD-10-PCS code group 0RB0?

How does accurate coding in the 0RB0 group affect inpatient reimbursement?

Which DRG categories may relate to procedures coded from the 0RB0 group?

What distinctions do the individual codes in 0RB0 convey about approach and intent?

References

When to Use

ICD-10-PCS Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which ICD-10-PCS codes are included in the Occipital-Cervical Joint excision group?

What body system and operation are represented by ICD-10-PCS code group 0RB0?

How does accurate coding in the 0RB0 group affect inpatient reimbursement?

Which DRG categories may relate to procedures coded from the 0RB0 group?

What distinctions do the individual codes in 0RB0 convey about approach and intent?

References