Dx code for "Easy Bruising" ??

[Orthocoderpgu]

Patient comes in with a blue eye. Per the doc, there was zero trauma of any kind. The docs dx for this is "Easy Bruising". Do we have a code for such a beast? Thanks! Or, how would you code it?

 

[gost]

"Easy bruising" is usually coded as ecchymosis - 459.89 or 782.7. In the eye, I believe it's 372.72.

 

[wandafloyd]

black eye

I think the answer is 921.0, but make sure it's round the 921's if the dx is black eye

 

[gost]

Agreed, if you are coding a specific injury, yes, use the contusion code. If the documentation is just "easy bruising" go with the above.

 

[mdimitrov]

I was leaning more toward the category 921 range also, although in your statement, if I'm reading it correctly, it was the patients' eyeball that was blue...therefore, I would probably lean toward 921.3 "Contusion of eyeball." If you have access to Coding Clinic, you may want to look up July-August 1985: 16 as there is a reference to this code in that particular issue which may provide some useful information.

Ultimately, it's the doctors call, so I would show him all of these codes and then let him/her decide what code most accurately describes the condition and then he/she can properly document their choice in the patient record.

Hope that helps!

 

[eadun2000]

For the eye it codes to 372.72. For other areas it codes to 459.89. However, if it is stated as spontaneous it is 782.7. You cannot use the 921.x codes due to no trauma and those are injury codes. Hope this helps.

 

[mdimitrov]

Good call there eadun2000....I reread the original statement and it does indicate "no trauma' so I would have to agree with your choices!

I believe the codes which would most accurately describe this particular scenario would be 372.72 Conjunctival hemorrhage or 459.89 Other specified disorder of circulatory system. Conjunctival hemorrhage may occur spontaneously from sneezing or coughing too hard. "Other specified disorder of circulatory condition," may mean there's some other, more serious issue going on than would be indicated by 372.72 and would be the doctors' call... As for 782.7 Spontaneous ecchymoses - This is a condition in which vessels just under the skin rupture causing discoloration of the skin surface...this can occur without any kind of apparant trauma, but since your scenario mentioned "blue eye" and not skin discoloration, I would think the 372.72 or 459.89 would be the two best options.