Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Organism and infection site focus codes.

Coding urogenital Trichomonas infections won’t change much when your lab converts from ICD-9 to ICD-10. In fact, the code definitions will remain virtually identical — only the code numbers will change to accommodate the new code set beginning Oct. 1, 2014.

Identify the codes

Five ICD-9 codes represent urogenital trichomoniasis, as follows:

• 131.00 — Urogenital trichomoniasis unspecified
  
• 131.01 — Trichomonal vulvovaginitis
  
• 131.02 — Trichomonal urethritis
  
• 131.03 — Trichomonal prostatitis
  
• 131.09 — Other urogenital trichomoniasis.
  

Once ICD-10 goes into effect, you’ll have five parallel ICD-10 codes to report the same conditions, as follows:

• A59.00 — Urogenital trichomoniasis, unspecified
  
• A59.01 — Trichomonal vulvovaginitis
  
• A59.02 — Trichomonal prostatitis
  
• A59.03 — Trichomonal cystitis and urethritis
  
• A59.09 — Other urogenital trichomoniasis.
  

Minor change: Notice that the .02 and .03 definitions change places from ICD-9 to ICD-10, inverting which code represents prostatitis and which represents urethritis. Also notice that, unlike 131.02, A59.09 names cystitis. That clarification removes any question whether you should use the “other” code (A59.09) when the medical record documents cystitis due to Trichomonas vaginalis.