Pathology/Lab Coding Alert
Focus Hemorrhoidectomy Coding
Question: Our pathologist examined a second-degree hemorrhoidectomy specimen excised due to uncontrollable rectal bleeding. How should we code this? Codify Subscriber Answer: For the pathology specimen exam, you should report 88304 (Level III - Surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examination … Hemorrhoids …). The most specific ICD-10 code for the case is K64.1 (Second degree hemorrhoids). You should use this code because the pathologist received documentation that these are bleeding second-degree hemorrhoids, which means that they prolapse but retract spontaneously. Without that specific information from the op report, the pathologist would have to choose a less-specific code, such as K64.9 (Unspecified hemorrhoids). Take away: Code the condition to the highest degree of specificity that you can, considering all the diagnostic information in the pathology report, not just the listed specimen.
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Focus Hemorrhoidectomy Coding
Question: Our pathologist examined a second-degree hemorrhoidectomy specimen excised due to uncontrollable rectal bleeding. How [...]
