Right vs. Left Colectomy

I am billing for a surgery listed as a "Right Colectomy". The work described is that of code 44160. I typically bill a 44140 for a partial colectomy and have noticed that my physicians don't always specify "left" when it is a left partial colectomy, but always note "right" when it is. My question is whether or not a "right" colectomy always has a removal of terminal ileum with ileocolostomy in addition to the partial colectomy, or is it possible that a "right" partial colectomy will be the 44140 code?

Thank you in advance for any insight.

44160

In a right colectomy, the surgeon removes the ascending colon, but leaves the ileum, example code 44140. So, the answer is what was resected, colon with anastomosis or an extended procedure, ex, code 44160.

A left colectomy is the removal of the portion of the colon located on the left side of the body (also known as the descending colon). Example the Hartman type procedure.

Right vs left colon

When a surgeon says "right hemicolectomy" they are referring to code 44160. In a right hemicolectomy the terminal ileum is removed with the specimen. In my many years of surgery, I have never had a situation where I removed a portion of the right colon but left the terminal ileum. I'm not sure how this is even possible anatomically, as the blood supply to the ascending colon is the same to the terminal ileum. So for a right colectomy or right hemicolectomy the proper code is 44160. A left colectomy is either a true "left hemicolectomy" or sigmoid colectomy which would be code 44140.