AHA Coding Clinic® for ICD-9 - 2004 Issue 4; VOLUME 3 NEW/REVISED PROCEDURE CODES
Percutaneous External Heart Assist Device
Effective October 1, 2004, code 37.68 has been created for the insertion of a percutaneous external heart assist device. This new code will distinguish the procedure from prior technology that required cardiothoracic surgery for the insertion of the heart assist device. The procedure is performed percutaneously with cannular access to the heart through the femoral vein in the upper leg. An alternative cut-down procedure for venous access may be required in some patients. A needle and guiding catheter are threaded through the venous access into the right atrium of the heart. A transseptal puncture crossing the atrial septum...
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Article Overview
This article explains a procedure coding update for a percutaneous external heart assist device and its relationship to existing heart assist system codes. It is relevant for inpatient procedure coders, CDI professionals, and cardiovascular coding staff who need to understand category revisions, exclusions, and the introduction of a new code within the ICD-9-CM procedure classification.
Why This Topic Matters
The update changes how a specific heart assist procedure is represented in the procedure code set and modifies several related code titles, notes, and exclusions. Accurate awareness of the revision helps users identify the applicable code family and understand how the new procedure fits within the broader circulatory assist system section.
Article Sections
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Procedure overview
Summarizes the general procedure context, access approach, device placement, and the external nature of the support system. It also notes the typical short-term intent of the device and the clinical setting in which it is described.
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Related code revisions
Lists updates to neighboring heart and circulatory assist system entries, including title changes, inclusions, exclusions, and removal guidance. This section shows how the new procedure fits into the surrounding ICD-9-CM procedure structure.
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New code 37.68
Introduces the new procedure code and its placement within the revised classification. The section includes the broad labels associated with the new entry without providing coding instructions or detailed selection rules.
What You Will Learn
- How the article situates a percutaneous external heart assist device within the procedure code classification
- Which broader heart assist system entries are revised alongside the new procedure code
- What general topics are included in the new procedure code entry and related exclusions
- How the update affects the heart and circulatory assist system code family at a high level
Who Should Read This
- Inpatient coders
- Cardiovascular coding professionals
- Clinical documentation improvement specialists
- Health information management staff
Codes Discussed
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