Anesthesia Coding Alert

But first, fifth-digit requirements on NOS go into effect next year. When a patient experiences accumulation of air or gas in the pleural space, which may occur spontaneously or as a result of trauma or a pathological process, your anesthesiologist might be present during surgery to correct the problem. Under ICD-9 Codes, you would choose diagnosis 512.x (Pneumothorax). ICD-10 difference: When ICD-9 transforms to ICD-10 on Oct. 1, 2013, you will modify your pneumothorax coding from 512.x to J93.x (Pneumothorax). Don't forget the four codes under J93.x that describe the condition in greater detail, including: J93.0 -- Spontaneous tension pneumothorax J93.1 -- Other spontaneous pneumothorax J93.8 -- Other pneumothorax J93.9 -- Pneumothorax, unspecified. Pay attention to the type of pneumothorax identified in the documentation. Category J93.x excludes some commonly seen forms of pneumothorax: postprocedural (J95.81), traumatic (S27.0), etc. Coder tips: Coding for pneumothorax gets an overhaul for ICD-9 2012. Often, coders report the code [...]