Reader Question:
Entrapped Catheter
Published on Wed Mar 01, 2000
Question: What ICD-9 diagnosis code should we use for entrapped obstructed Foley catheter?
Anonymous Georgia Subscriber
Answer: The ICD-9 diagnosis code for entrapped, obstructed Foley catheter is 996.76 (other complications of internal [biological] [synthetic] prosthetic device, implant, and graft; due to genitourinary device, implant, and graft). This code can be found by searching the ICD-9 alphabetic index for obstruction and then locating the term device. The instructions are to see complications, due to (presence of) any device, implant, or graft classified to 996.0-996.5 NEC.
The cross-reference indicates that the coder must refer to the alternative term specified in order to continue coding. Under the term complications in the alphabetic index, locate due to (presence of).... Under due to (presence of)... locate the term catheter and then urinary, indwelling. This code should be verified by locating 996.76 in the tabular list to make sure there are no excludes notes that might direct a coder elsewhere.
