Medical Billing Blog

Medical Coding for Deep Vein Thrombosis Bursts Under ICD-10

Posted by Ali Ziehm on Fri, Feb, 10, 2012 @ 13:02 PM

DeepVeinThrombosis2WomansLegs resized 600Currently, under ICD-9, a 453.42 code is for acute venous embolism and thrombosis of deep vessels of distal lower extremity.  Included under this code is a diagnosis involving a thrombosis or embolism to the calf, lower leg NOS, or the peroneal or tibial veins. All possible combinations are included under this one code.

However, ICD-10 will dramatically expand your coding options when it goes into effect on October 1, 2013. The new code set will create codes that differ based on whether the diagnosis involves the right leg, the left leg, both legs, or an unspecified leg. Codes will also differ based on whether the vein involves the tibial, another specified vein, or not specified at all. Clinician documentation will be need to clear and comprehensive in order to receive full reimbursement.  

*Under ICD-10, ‘other’ means the physician documented the type (of vein or limb) but ICD-10 doesn’t offer a code specific to the documented type while ‘unspecified’ means the physician did not document the needed information.

 

Below are the tentative ICD-10 codes associated with Deep Vein Thrombosis

182.441 – Acute embolism and thrombosis of right tibial vein

182.442 – Acute embolism and thrombosis of left tibial vein

182.443 – Acute embolism and thrombosis of tibial vein, bilateral

182.449 – Acute embolism and thrombosis of unspecified tibial vein

182.491 – Acute embolism and thrombosis of other specified deep vein of right lower extremity

182.492 – Acute embolism and thrombosis of other specified deep vein of left lower extremity

182.493 – Acute embolism and thrombosis of other specified deep vein of lower extremity, bilateral

182.499 - Acute embolism and thrombosis of other specified deep vein of unspecified lower extremity

182.4Z1 – Acute embolism and thrombosis of unspecified deep veins of right distal lower extremity

182.4Z2 - Acute embolism and thrombosis of unspecified deep veins of left distal lower extremity

182.4Z3 - Acute embolism and thrombosis of unspecified deep veins of distal lower extremity, bilateral

182.4Z9 - Acute embolism and thrombosis of unspecified deep veins of unspecified distal lower extremity

By Scott Shtazman