Home Health ICD-9/ICD-10 Alert
Reader Questions:
Learn Non-Healing Wound Nuances
Published on Wed May 28, 2008 
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Question: Can we use non-healing surgical wound code 998.83 when there is a scab present on the surgical incision? -- Oklahoma Subscriber Answer: Surgical incisions healing by primary intention with any portion of scab are marked as non-healing on OASIS, but you shouldn't code for them with 998.83 (Non-healing surgical wound). If the wound is marked as non-healing only because of scab presence and not dehiscence or signs of infection, then you should list the appropriate surgical aftercare code along with the code for scab, 782.8 (Changes in skin texture).
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