AHA Coding Clinic® for ICD-9 - 2013 Issue 3; Ask the Editor

Gastrointestinal Bleeding and Blood Loss Anemia due to Colon Malignancy

The patient was admitted to the hospital for workup of generalized weakness, severe hypochromic microcytic anemia, and melena. The provider documented, “Etiology of gastrointestinal bleeding (GI) resulting in anemia is to be established.” The patient underwent diagnostic esophagogastro-duodenoscopy and colonoscopy. The colon biopsy revealed a fungating malignant mass in the colon and right hemicolectomy with side-to-side anastomosis was performed. The provider’s final diagnostic statement listed, “Adenocarcinoma of the transverse colon, acute microcytic hypochromic anemia secondary to blood loss due to GI bleeding.” Since it was determined after study that the GI bleeding (melena) was secondary to the colon malignancy, would the GI bleeding be coded or is it considered a symptom/sign of the colon cancer?  ...

To read the full article, sign in and subscribe to AHA Coding Clinic® for ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS .


  • The official AHA publication for ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS coding guidelines and advice
  • Current newsletters added each quarter
  • Full Archives - over 3100 articles
  • ALL years/issues back to 1984 organized by year and issue
  • Includes ICD-10-CM/PCS Articles since 2013
  • Fully searchable through Find-A-Code's Comprehensive Search
  • Codes mentioned in articles are linked to Code Information pages
  • Code Information pages link back to related articles
  • View all the articles associated with any code, right from the code page!
Access to this feature is available in the following products:
  • AHA's Coding Clinic® - ICD-10-CM/PCS +Archives

demo
request yours today
 subscribe
start today
 newsletter
free subscription

Thank you for choosing Find-A-Code, please Sign In to remove ads.