ICD-10: 5 K38 ICD-10 Codes Expand ICD-9 Appendicitis Specificity

Some conditions gets one-to-one crosswalk.

When your surgeon removes an appendix, you'll have more specific diagnosis code choices under ICD-10, effective Oct. 1, 2013.

Distinguish 'Other' and 'Unspecified'

Coding for acute appendicitis will change as follows, from ICD-9 to ICD-10:

• 540.0 -- Acute appendicitis with generalized peritonitis becomes K35.2 with an identical definition
• 540.1 -- Acute appendicitis with peritoneal abscess becomes K35.3 (Acute appendicitis with localized peritonitis)
• 540.9 -- Acute appendicitis without peritonitis leads to two possible ICD-10 codes: K35.80 (Unspecified acute appendicitis) or K35.89 (Other acute appendicitis).

ICD-10 provides a similar distinction between "other" and "unspecified" for the following ICD-9 to ICD-10 crosswalks:

• 541 -- Appendicitis unqualified crosswalks to K37 (Unspecified [...]
  
  - Published on 2011-10-19