Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: What is the best ICD-10 code for an abdominal hemorrhage during a repeat C-section? The patient had pre-eclampsia that necessitated the repeat C-section. Can you also advise on the correct order to list the codes?

Minnesota Subscriber

Answer: The appropriate ICD-10 code for an abdominal hemorrhage during a repeat C-section is O90.2 (Hematoma of obstetric wound). While completing the claim, primary code should be for the C-section, followed pre-eclampsia, followed by O90.2 for the abdominal hemorrhage.

ICD-10 includes multiple diagnosis options for C-section and pre-eclampsia, so let the anesthesia provider's notes and surgeon's report guide your selection. For example, a few pre-eclampsia choices designated as complicating childbirth are O14.94 (Unspecified pre-eclampsia, complicating childbirth), O14.04 (Mild to moderate pre-eclampsia, complicating childbirth), and O14.14 (Severe pre-eclampsia complicating childbirth).