tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2012 Issue 11

Reader Question: Select 'Unspecified' Appendix Code

Question: Our surgeon removed a patient's appendix, and the pathology report returned with "diverticulum of appendix." I know that we use 540 to report appendicitis, but what is the correct diagnosis code for this condition?Pennsylvania SubscriberAnswer: The correct ICD-9 code for diverticulum of appendix is 543.9 (Other and unspecified diseases of appendix). Even if the patient presented with appendicitis symptoms, you should code the diverticulum diagnosis if it's known at the time of billing.ICD-10: Beginning Oct. 1, 2014, you'll have a specific code for the condition in ICD-10 -- K38.2 (Diverticulum of appendix). This...

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