Basic of ICD 10 code for Aortic Aneurysm
An aneurysm is a localized abnormal dilation of blood vessels. Aneurysms can grow large and rupture or dissect. Aneurysms are classified primarily according to their location and, in some codes, whether rupture is present, such as:
Heart (I25.3)
Coronary artery (I25.41)
Pulmonary artery (I28.1)
Cerebral (I67.1)
Thoracic aorta (I71.1- and I71.2-), which is further specified as ascending aorta, aortic arch, descending aorta, or unspecified thoracic aorta
Abdominal aorta (I71.3- and I71.4-), which is further specified as pararenal abdominal aorta, juxtarenal abdominal aorta, infrarenal abdominal aorta, or unspecified abdominal aorta
Thoracoabdominal aorta (I71.5- and I71.6-), which is specified as supraceliac abdominal aorta, paravisceral abdominal aorta, or unspecified thoracoabdominal aorta
Unspecified site of the aorta (I71.8, I71.9)
Other sites, such as carotid artery (I72.0), renal artery (I72.2), iliac artery (I72.3), lower extremity (I72.4), other precerebral arteries (I72.5), vertebral artery (I72.6), other specified arteries (I72.8), and unspecified site (I72.9)
An aortic aneurysm is an abnormal bulge in the aorta. If the aneurysm grows, it can burst and cause internal bleeding.
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Types of Aortic Aneurysm
There are two types of aortic aneurysms. These are:
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm. This occurs in the part of the aorta that runs through the abdomen.
- Thoracic aortic aneurysm. This occurs in the part of the aorta that runs through the chest.
Causes
The exact causes of an abdominal aortic aneurysm are unknown. However, physician suspect that aortic aneurysms can be brought on by:
- Atherosclerosis, or a hardening of the arteries
- Genetic predisposition
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
Signs and symptoms
Common signs and symptoms of an aortic aneurysm are:
- Fever
- Pain in the lower back, chest, or flank
- Stomach pain and discomfort
- Weight loss
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Treatment
Treatment for an aortic aneurysm is dependent on its size. If the aneurysm is small, the physician may prescribe medications such as beta blockers and calcium channel blockers to relax one’s blood vessels and lessen the chance of the aneurysm bursting.
If the aneurysm is large and presents with symptoms, the physician may perform an endovascular repair to surgically remove it.
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ICD-10-CM coding for Aortic Aneurysm
ICD-10-CM codes for aortic aneurysms are located in code category I71.- (aortic aneurysm and dissection). There are codes for aortic aneurysms with and without rupture.
The 2023 ICD-10-CM update added many aortic aneurysm codes to category I71.- (aortic aneurysm and dissection). The update distinguishes the new codes by the following means:
- general region: thoracic, abdominal, or thoracoabdominal
- specific region: ascending aorta, descending aorta, aortic arch, pararenal, juxtarenal, infrarenal, supraceliac, or paravisceral
- aneurysm status: ruptured, without rupture, or unspecified.
For example, instead of having code I71.3 (abdominal aortic aneurysm, ruptured), which was deleted, the coders may further indicate the specific region by using diagnosis code I71.31, (pararenal abdominal aortic aneurysm, ruptured), I71.32 (juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm, ruptured), or I71.33 (infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm, ruptured).
All codes within the category I71 (aortic aneurysm and dissection) have an instruction to code first, if applicable, A52.01 (syphilitic aneurysm of aorta), S25.09- (other specified injury of thoracic aorta), and S35.09- (other injury of abdominal aorta).
