General Surgery Coding Alert

Look for complication first in 2013.You'll have three more hemorrhoid codes to choose from in ICD-10, effective Oct. 1, 2013. That's because the new code set adds codes for "internal and external" in addition to codes for internal, unspecified, or external hemorrhoids. But that's not the only change you'll see when you go to choose a hemorrhoid diagnosis in ICD-10.Pay attention to hierarchy: ICD-9 has 10, four digit codes under category 455 (Hemorrhoids). The fourth digit 0-9 distinguishes each code based on whether the hemorrhoids are internal/external/unspecified, and whether the patient exhibits specific complications. On the other hand, ICD-10 provides three subcategories (four digit codes) based on whether the hemorrhoids are thrombosed, have other complications, or have no complications, as follows:I84.0 -- Thrombosed hemorrhoidsI84.1 -- Hemorrhoids with other complicationsI84.2 -- Hemorrhoids without complication.Show location with fifth digit: ICD-10 uses the fifth digit to show hemorrhoid location as follows:0 -- Unspecified1 -- Internal2 -- External3 -- Internal and [...]