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Coding an infected lumbar wound
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A: ICD-9 code 876.1 denotes an open wound of back, complicated, indicating a current acute injury rather than a wound infection. This is why the payer requires an accident date. When the infected wound follows lumbar laminectomy, report ICD-9-CM code 998.59, posteropative wound infection.
Editor’s note: Paula Archer, RHIA, managing consultant at BKD, LLP, in Little Rock, AR, answered this question, which originally appeared in the February issue of Briefings on Coding Compliance Strategies.
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