Look For Correct K Codes for Duodenal Ulcers in ICD-10

Obstruction is no more vital for accurate coding.

While reporting duodenal ulcers in ICD-10, you won’t have to be concerned about looking for obstructions: in its place, you’ll concentrate on perforation and hemorrhage to arrive at the appropriate ICD-10 code. See the following for more information on how duodenal ulcer dx coding will transform when ICD-10 goes into effect.

Your gastroenterologist might diagnose a duodenal ulcer on the basis of history, an in-depth examination, signs and symptoms for instance pain in the abdominal area underneath the sternum (that might be precipitated by intake of food or hunger), retching, vomiting along with bloating.

Your gastroenterologist may also carry out an endoscopy (43235, Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy including esophagus, stomach, and either the duodenum and/or jejunum as appropriate; diagnostic, with or without collection of specimen[s] by brushing or washing [separate procedure]) or a breath test (for detection of H. pylori (83013, Helicobacter pylori; breath test analysis for urease activity, non-radioactive isotope [e.g., C-13] and 83014, Helicobacter pylori; drug administration) to reach at the diagnosis of a duodenal ulcer (532, Duodenal ulcer).

How to Report Duodenal Ulcers in ICD-9

As per ICD-9 classification, duodenal ulcers are reported with a fourth and a fifth digit depending on a number of factors for instance chronicity, with or without hemorrhage, perforation and obstruction.

How ICD-10 is Different?

When ICD-9 changes to ICD-10, the descriptors existing in ICD-10 will almost be similar as the descriptors that now exist in ICD-9. Though, the only change of note is that the fifth digit classification (based on the presence or absence of obstruction) has been joined to give a single code without indication about the presence or absence of obstruction.

Tip: While you are reporting for duodenal ulcers, two ICD-9 codes will now be represented by a single ICD-10 code as now the presence or absence of obstruction no longer forms the basis for classification.

According to this, ICD-10 code K26.4 (Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with hemorrhage) will replace ICD-9 codes 532.40 (Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with hemorrhage without obstruction) and 532.41(Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with hemorrhage with obstruction).

Check out the following list for more instances of how two ICD-9 codes for duodenal ulcers are characterized by a single ICD-10 code:

• ICD-9: 532.50 (Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with perforation without obstruction) and 532.51 (Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with perforation with obstruction)
• ICD-10: K26.5 (Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with perforation)
• ICD-9: 532.60 (Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with hemorrhage and perforation without obstruction) and 532.61 (Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with hemorrhage and perforation with obstruction)
• ICD-10: K26.6 (Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with both hemorrhage and perforation)
• ICD-9: 532.00 (Acute duodenal ulcer with hemorrhage without obstruction) and 532.01 (Acute duodenal ulcer with hemorrhage with obstruction)
• ICD-10: K26.0 (Acute duodenal ulcer with hemorrhage)
• ICD-9: 532.10 (Acute duodenal ulcer with perforation without obstruction) and 532.11 (Acute duodenal ulcer with perforation with obstruction)
• ICD-10: K26.1 (Acute duodenal ulcer with perforation).