Wiki right inguinal herniorrhaphy with mesh graft - Is there

[eagency49]

Is there a implied age for coding an inguinal herniorrhaphy with mesh graft? I have read & read and do not see a way to code this without specifying an age. My procedure does not include an age, it is not recurrent 49521. The diagnosis is right incarcerated direct inguinal hernia in which I coded 550.91. If I use 49525 then I am missing the clinical presentation of incarcerated. Help!

 

[jdibble]

Is there a implied age for coding an inguinal herniorrhaphy with mesh graft? I have read & read and do not see a way to code this without specifying an age. My procedure does not include an age, it is not recurrent 49521. The diagnosis is right incarcerated direct inguinal hernia in which I coded 550.91. If I use 49525 then I am missing the clinical presentation of incarcerated. Help!

I am not sure I am understanding your question correctly, but let me try and answer you the way I think you are asking, and if I am wrong, please re-ask your question.

You are trying to code an inguinal hernia repair with mesh and you do not see a way to code this without specifying an age? Does your note not give the patient's date of birth? For inquinal hernias, the codes are broken down by the age of the person - not the age of the hernia, if that is what you are thinking when you say your procedure does not include an age and is not recurrent. The codes are also further based on whether the hernia is incarcerated or strangulated (i.e. a part of the intestines is stuck in it), initial or recurrent. The approach is also another factor you need to look at - was it open or laproscopic? So, if your hernia repair with mesh was done on a patient over the age of 5, open procedure, was an initial hernia and incarcerated you would use code 49507. The mesh application is included in these codes inguinal hernias and would not be coded separately. Code 49252 is for a sliding inguinal hernia for any age patient - this is a different type of inguinal hernia and your documentation would have to mention this type for this code.

Also after looking at your diagnosis code - you say that the hernia is not recurrent, so you would want to use a fifth digit of 0 - for unilateral or unspecified, (not specified as recurrent) - code 550.90. Fifth digit 1 is for unilateral recurrent hernia!

Hopefully this answers your question. If not, please try stating your question again!

Thanks,