# Urgent Post-Op Ileus Question



## jsd123 (May 27, 2010)

Hi All

Quick (and I think easy) question: The case I am coding (obviously inpt as pt had a hemicolectomy) followed by a post-op ileus (definitive diagnosis); I'm all set with each of those!

However I am at one of those "brain freezes"!!! 

Do you code the "post-op vomiting after GI surgery" (ICD-9 564.3)? I know its just a symptom, and we have the definitive of an ileus, or do we leave it alone?

Thanks!

Janice


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## HNISHA (Jun 4, 2010)

Inpatient coding is not my areas of expertise. However, I would suggest the following:

As per ICD guidelines "Additional signs and symptoms that are associated routinely with a disease process should not be assigned as additional codes, *unless otherwise instructed by the classification*.

As per ICD 9 the dx "997.4" excludes "564.3". Hence, it is appropriate to report "564.3" as an additional dx.

Hope this helps!

Thanks,
Abdul Saleem CPC


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