General Surgery Coding Alert

Question: Our surgeon performed a venous thrombectomy for a patient with a diagnosis of heparin induced thrombocy­topenia. How should we report the thrombosis in this case?

New Jersey Subscriber

Answer: ICD-10-CM offers a specific code for this condition. Report code D75.82 (Heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)) for thrombocytopenia induced by heparin administration.

Know this: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia is a distinct clinical entity. It is a relatively common life-threatening clinical condition that occurs in 3-5 percent of all patients receiving unfractionated heparin for at least five days. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia has a distinct clinical presentation that is different from other drug-induced thrombocytopenias. Patients may present with arterial or venous thrombosis, such as deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, stroke, or myocardial infarction.

Note: Transfusion of platelets is generally contraindicated in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. Your physician will switch the patient to an alternative anticoagulant.