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Lower extremity weakness
- Thread starter mhoyt
- Start date
jmcpolin
True Blue
780.79 or 728.87 I myself prefer 780.79
mjb5019
Guru
extremity weakness
That is so funny you mention this, as that is what we batted around at our coders meeting this Am. It doesn't specify MUSCLE weakness so you default to generalized 780.79.
That is so funny you mention this, as that is what we batted around at our coders meeting this Am. It doesn't specify MUSCLE weakness so you default to generalized 780.79.
lodawnyoung
Networker
I have always used the 728.87, but after reading this post I looked at 780.79 on my coding software and this is the definition it gives for the code;
DEF: Asthenia: Any weakness, lack of strength or loss of energy, especially neuromuscular.~DEF: Lethargy: Listlessness, drowsiness, stupor and apathy.~DEF: Malaise: Vague feeling of debility or lack of good health.~DEF: Postviral (asthenic) syndrome: Listlessness, drowsiness, stupor and apathy; follows acute viral infection.~DEF: Tiredness: General exhaustion or fatigue.
So I think I will be using this code from now on. Thanks.
DEF: Asthenia: Any weakness, lack of strength or loss of energy, especially neuromuscular.~DEF: Lethargy: Listlessness, drowsiness, stupor and apathy.~DEF: Malaise: Vague feeling of debility or lack of good health.~DEF: Postviral (asthenic) syndrome: Listlessness, drowsiness, stupor and apathy; follows acute viral infection.~DEF: Tiredness: General exhaustion or fatigue.
So I think I will be using this code from now on. Thanks.
camilleb
Guru
I know this post is really old, but I wanted to weigh in also. 
My specialty is Neurosurgery. My docs and nurses will perform strength testing Musculoskeletal examinations in the office where they check the muscle strength in upper and lower extremities, like a deltoid exam. In reporting upper and lower extremity weakness, we use 728.87.
We sometimes use 780.79 for general weakness in some of our elderly patients who report that they're having some weakness, but a Musculo exam is not performed due to the patient is being hospitalized and lying in a bed, or in a wheelchair- and we may not have the ability to perform the strength testing at that time.
Dependant upon documentation, we choose the code that best fits. I noticed that ICD-10-CM also does not report it much differently than ICD-9. food for thought....
Have a blessed day!
My specialty is Neurosurgery. My docs and nurses will perform strength testing Musculoskeletal examinations in the office where they check the muscle strength in upper and lower extremities, like a deltoid exam. In reporting upper and lower extremity weakness, we use 728.87.
We sometimes use 780.79 for general weakness in some of our elderly patients who report that they're having some weakness, but a Musculo exam is not performed due to the patient is being hospitalized and lying in a bed, or in a wheelchair- and we may not have the ability to perform the strength testing at that time.
Dependant upon documentation, we choose the code that best fits. I noticed that ICD-10-CM also does not report it much differently than ICD-9. food for thought....
Have a blessed day!
swebb4850@gmail.com
Networker
Per Coding Clinic, 4th Quarter, 1988, page 12..."Weakness of the limbs without mention of muscle weakness, is assigned to 729.89, other musculoskeletal symptoms referable to limbs."
Shari RN, CPC-A
Shari RN, CPC-A