ICD Cellulitis w/o mention of infection

[Chaim]

A doctor's dictation states "the whole area was swollen, tender, hyperalgesic with cellulitis of the left anterior foot".

under category 682, it states an additional code is needed to identify the organism.

Just to make sure that I'm correct, I cannot code for cellulitis, because there is no mention of the organism, even though he happens to diagnose the pt with cellulitis. Is this correct?

 

[Ruth Sheets]

Good question.

When they say "Use additional code to identify organism, such as Staphylococcus (041.1)" it means "code it if it is documented, and sequence it secondly". If, for example, the cellulitis is caused by frostbite, there will not be an organism, you would code the frostbite and cellulitis, but no organism.

 

[Chaim]

Within the dictation, he does not specify the origin. So then just code the cellulitis along with the signs and symptoms after it?

 

[Ruth Sheets]

I think cellulitis is by nature tender, swollen and painful, so you would not code these. They are a typical part of the disease.

 

[Chaim]

Thanks.