It's the nature of Auditing E/M that it is open to interpretation. And it is one of the great frustrations of the 1995 guidelines that they are so vague and so open to different interpretations.
For a comprehensive exam under the 1995 guidelines you need 8 or more organ systems. Body areas don't count at all.
What I usually do is look at the 1997 bullets (Yes, I know, you're using 1995 guidelines - that's what we use here) to see if the phrasing matches under any of the systems outlined in 1997 guidelines. If so, I count it for that system. In your example for extremity edema that falls under CV, so that's the system I'd give credit for. While "clubbing/cyanosis" falls under musculoskeletal.
As for "bowel sounds present" - If I was checking for 8 systems to equal a comprehensive exam, I would give credit as GI system under 1995 guidelines, even though there's no bullet for 1997 guidelines. I would NOT count "obese abdomen" as GI for a comprehensive exam, but I would count it as body area Abdomen if I were looking at a Detailed exam.
I'm sorry I can't give you any more specific guidance or proof.
F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC