Documentation and Coding: PVD & Atherosclerosis

October 19, 2022
group-label
Button Group
size
md
orientation
horizontal
alignment
center
button-type
lh-button
variant
text
text
Claims & Coding
media-label
label
link
Claims & Coding
icon-position
right
full-width
false
full-width-mobile
false
button-type
lh-button
variant
text
text
Medical Policy & Clinical Guidelines
media-label
label
link
Medical Policy & Clinical Guidelines
icon-position
right
full-width
false
full-width-mobile
false

A quick reference guide to assist with accurate, complete documentation and coding that reflects the true nature of a patient’s current health status at the highest level of specificity. Per ICD-10 official guidelines for reporting and coding “The importance of consistent, complete documentation in the medical record cannot be overemphasized. Without such documentation accurate coding cannot be achieved.”

Documentation & Coding Guidance

Documentation needs to be clear and detailed using the following terms to allow accurate ICD10 code selection. Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) also referred to as Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a broad term that refers to diseases of the blood vessels outside the heart and brain. Arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis are used interchangeably for coding and documentation purposes.

Classification:

  • System: Arterial or Venous
  • Vessel type: Native or graft (autologous, nonautologous biologic, nonautologous nonbiologic)
  • Presence: include if there is ulceration, gangrene
  • Anatomic location: include site, laterality
  • Complicating factors: intermittent claudication, rest pain, ulceration, and gangrene
ICD10 Description Documentation
I73.9 Peripheral vascular disease, unspecified (PVD)
  • includes Intermittent Claudication and peripheral artery disease, unspecified (PAD)
I70.xxx Atherosclerosis of native arteries of the extremities
  • Presence of ulceration or gangrene
  • Intermittent Claudication
L97.xxx Non-pressure chronic ulcer of lower limb, not elsewhere classified
  • Important to avoid terms wounds, open wounds or lesion when documenting an ulcer
  • Affected area
  • Severity of ulcer
I77.xxx Other disorders of arteries and arterioles
  • Stricture, rupture, necrosis or dissection
I80.xxx Phlebitis and thrombophlebitis
  • Affected veins
Aneurysm
ICD10 Description Documentation
I71.xxx Aortic aneurysm and dissection
  • Affected artery site
  • With or without rupture or dissection

As of October 1, 2022-Category I71-expanded to describe the site of thoracic aorta dissection, as well as the various types of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

*Update on 02.20.23-Coding Clinic-2022; Q4: p.24

I72.xxx Other aneurysm
Vascular Disease and Diabetes
ICD10 Description Documentation
E11.51 Type 2 diabetes mellitus w/diabetic peripheral angiopathy without gangrene
  • Assumed relationship between Diabetes Mellitus and vascular disease
E11.52 Type 2 diabetes mellitus w/diabetic peripheral angiopathy with gangrene