# Chronic sinusitis vs Pansinusitis



## yolwil (Jan 23, 2017)

When the doctor dictates that a patient has chronic sinusitis in all cavities (maxillary, frontal, sphenoid and ethmoid) and lists them individually (chronic sinusitis, frontal . . . chronic sinusitis, maxillary etc), do I code them individually (J32.0  J32.1  J32.2  J32.2) or can I use the chronic pansinusitis code (J32.4)?


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## lmeadows (Feb 1, 2017)

I use the J diagnosis codes unless he specifically stated that it is pansinusitis.


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## ehanna (Feb 1, 2017)

yolwil said:


> When the doctor dictates that a patient has chronic sinusitis in all cavities (maxillary, frontal, sphenoid and ethmoid) and lists them individually (chronic sinusitis, frontal . . . chronic sinusitis, maxillary etc), do I code them individually (J32.0  J32.1  J32.2  J32.2) or can I use the chronic pansinusitis code (J32.4)?



I personally would code the pansinusitis since all sinuses are involved.


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## nalaxu (Apr 28, 2017)

yolwil said:


> When the doctor dictates that a patient has chronic sinusitis in all cavities (maxillary, frontal, sphenoid and ethmoid) and lists them individually (chronic sinusitis, frontal . . . chronic sinusitis, maxillary etc), do I code them individually (J32.0  J32.1  J32.2  J32.2) or can I use the chronic pansinusitis code (J32.4)?



I was looking for documentation concerning this.  I was coding this as pansinusitis and got dinged on an audit. I was told if the doctor doesn't specifiy pan you can't code it.  I disagree but can't find anything either way about this.


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## lmeadows (Jun 23, 2017)

For more than one sinus having chronic sinusitis I use J32.8.  I don't use J32.4 unless they specify its pansinusitis.


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## mitchellde (Jun 23, 2017)

the provider does not need to state the word pansinusitis if he/she has documented every sinus as having sinusitis.  The difienition of pansinsitis is an inflammation of every sinus on one or both sides.  So if all are documented I would code pansinusitis.


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