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Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome

Published on Tue Jan 01, 2002

Question: What is the ICD-9 code for upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS)?
           
California Subscriber  
Answer: Patients with clinical features of hypersomnolence but lacking the typical findings of apnea, hypopnea and nocturnal oxygen desaturation at polysomnographic evaluation may suffer from UARS. A clinical diagnosis of UARS is difficult to determine due to a lack of standardization of nomenclature, criteria and measurement techniques. So, the ICD-9 manual does not include a diagnosis specifically for UARS. Instead, select from 518.5 (adult respiratory distress syndrome following trauma and surgery), 518.82 (other pulmonary insufficiency such as adult respiratory distress syndrome not following trauma or surgery), 519.8 (other respiratory system diseases) and 786.09 (respiratory abnormalities) as appropriate. Provide supporting documentation to substantiate the diagnosis(es).
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