Pathology/Lab Coding Alert
Classify Megacolon With C. diff
Question: The pathologist examined a colon resection and diagnosed dilated toxic colon due to infection with Clostridium difficile. What is the correct diagnosis coding for this case? Texas Subscriber Answer: The correct ICD-10 diagnosis code is A04.7 (Enterocolitis due to Clostridium difficile). Don’t be fooled: You might be tempted to code this as “toxic megacolon,” which has a new code in ICD-10-CM 2017 — K59.31 (Toxic megacolon). Before adding the fifth digit, ICD-10 had the complete code K59.3 (Megacolon, not elsewhere classified) for to describe megacolon. But with or without the fifth digit, ICD-10 has an “Excludes 1” note under K59.3- , which excludes “megacolon (due to) (in) Clostridium difficile” and directs coders to A04.7.
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Classify Megacolon With C. diff
Question: The pathologist examined a colon resection and diagnosed dilated toxic colon due to infection with [...]
