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Documentation and Coding: PVD & Atherosclerosis October 19, 2022 Claims & Coding Medical Policy & Clinical Guidelines

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 
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