Otolaryngology Coding Alert

K Code replaces 527.2 in 2013.

If you came face to face with a need to code 64611 (Chemodenervation of parotid and submandibular salivary glands, bilateral), the possibility that you'd link it to the diagnosis code 527.2 (Sialoadenitis) is not remote. This condition is an inflammation of a salivary gland or glands and usually manifests as a big lump under a patient's ear. When ICD-9 becomes ICD-10 in 2013, you will have to shift to coding sialoadenitis using the code K11.20 (Sialoadenitis, unspecified).

ICD difference: The conversion to ICD-10 will offer no difference since 527.2's and K11.20's descriptors are a word-for-word translation of each other (except of the word "unspecified" in K11.20).

Tests: The physician might decide to order x-ray to help visualize and identify salivary stones (calculi). If the x-ray is not diagnostic, she might inject radiopaque dye into the patient's salivary gland duct (sialography). She might also use diagnostic ultrasound imaging.

Coder tips: Although K11.20's descriptor indicates "sialoadenitis," this code is also applicable to conditions such as parotitis, sialoangitis, sialodochitis. However, K11.20's descriptor excludes epidemic or infectious parotitis (i.e., B26.0, Mumps orchitis; and B26.9, Mumps without complication), and uveoparotid fever (D86.9, Sarcoidosis, unspecified).