Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Turn to 040.1 for Rhinoscleroma Diagnosis

Question: My physician diagnosed a patient with rhinoscleroma. What is the correct diagnosis code and what exactly is it? 

Alabama Subscriber 

Answer: Rhinoscleroma is a slowly progressive condition characterized by granulomatous swelling in the nose and other parts of the respiratory tract. A person contracts rhinoscleroma by inhaling droplets of contaminated material; it typically appears in patients 10-30 years of age.

The current ICD-9 diagnosis code is 040.1 (Rhinoscleroma). 

Looking ahead: When ICD-10 takes effect on Oct. 1, 2015, you’ll shift to A48.8 (Other specified bacterial diseases) when reporting rhinoscleroma. The code won’t be specific to rhinoscerloma as it currently is, and will expand to include other specified bacterial diseases besides rhinoscleroma. 

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