RE: Complicated Surgical Wound diagnosis-Need Help

Hi Katherine. I realize this question was posted way back in January but I stumbled upon it a little bit ago. while searching my saved emails for something else. The use of the "S" code in your scenario got me thinking that maybe I'm not coding correctly. I may be completely off my rocker, but I always think of "S" code wounds as being from a trauma, like getting your arm ripped off in a fan blade or have a steel rod pierce your abdomen.

I looked up S31.000D in my coding manual (I have the ICD-10 Decision Health version) and I read the following: Unspecified open wound of lower back and pelvis without penetration intro retroperitoneum.

Your patient was on services for his wound for 19 months?? Guessing he has a LOT of comorbidities which severely impaired his healing.

Can anyone say WHEN the use of an "S" code is appropriate?

Thanks!

Kelly Jensen

-----Original Message-----
From: Katherine Moss [mailto:Kbeau78@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2017 12:29 PM
To: HomeCareCoding-L
Subject: [homecarecoding-l] Complicated Surgical Wound diagnosis-Need Help

Good morning! I have a patient with SOC of 6-2015 for abscess at surgical site after lumbar surgery. Was put on antibiotics and wound vac. Now 1-2017 he is still on service for open wound 1 cm X 0.6 cm X 0.4. He see wound care clinic twice a month. It has been coded as S31.000D Unspecified open wound lower back since day one. Now at another recert period, CAN or SHOULD it be changed to a correct code from complication chapter? Or at this point, after 19 mths is it worth it? Thanks!
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