Wiki Metaplasia, GE Junction (Surgical Pathology)

[traci071@yahoo.com]

Help with debate..........

Surgical Pathology Report: Dx: Metaplasia, esophagus --->>> Told to code to K22.70 (Barrett esophagus)

Dx: Metaplasia, GE junction ----->>> Told, "can't code to Barrett because it's in the GE junction".... "code to 'esophagitis, other' instead".

Anyone have an opinion? To me, if you are coding to 'esophagitis, other', then you are acknowledging that there is metaplasia in the esophagus, no?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mitchellde]

I code it as neither. I see this all day and honestly if there were inflammation they would document that if it were Barretts then that too would be documented so truly it is neither. I use K22.8 or I do not code for it at all.