Chronic leukopenia
Hi,
As per your note malignant leukopenia is directly leading code 288.09. You can't take 288.50, because this is unspecifed type of leukopenia. Because most of the time it can occur due to acute condtions (fever, infection).
If your documentation is nothing stated about chronic/malignant leukopenia and the system only showing 288.09 code, you can take 288.50 unspecified code as per documentation.
Chronic leukopenia/neutropenia
A recurrent problematic illness that results in a low white blood cell (WBC) count is known as chronic leukopenia. Neutrophils usually make up 50-70% of circulating white blood cells and serve as the primary defense against infection. Because of this particular reason chronic leukopenia is interchangeably called chronic neutropenia.
288.09 is other specific type of neutropenia (sub type of leukopenia). Neutropenia is more specific than other types of leukopenia ( Lymphocytes, Monocytes, Eosinophils and Basophils.'). Malignancy refers "the tendency of a medical condition to become progressively worse".
Suggestion
Oneway you can find 288.09 is leukopenia, maligant OR you have to consider chronic leukopenia is chronic neutropenia as mentioned in above explanation.
Hope this is helping you littlebit..........
Regards,
Dhanesh M