How to code GAVE (Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia) aka "Watermelon Stomach" |
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Coders sometimes wonder what the proper ICD-9-CM code is for the condition of Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia, or GAVE, also known as "Watermelon Stomach." There was no clear guidance on this until recently. The ICD-9-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee met in September of 2006 and decided that an entry should be added to the ICD-9-CM book alphabetical listing to direct coders to the appropriate code for GAVE. Of course the ICD-9-CM books had already gone to press for the year, but coders can look for the following new alphabetical index entries in the FY2008 ICD-9-CM books. (They aren't new codes, just new coding instructions.) Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia (GAVE)
Watermelon stomach
You can find this proposal at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/icd9/agendasep06.pdf There was a suggestion at the meeting that there should be a "default" code assigned to this condition for those instances when it isn't indicated whether there is a hemorrhage or not. Since 537.82 is "without mention of hemorrhage" (not that there is truly no hemorrhage but simply that the hemorrhage is not mentioned), presumably this default code would be 537.82. Although these new instructions will appear in the FY2008 ICD-9-CM book, there is some commentary in the second quarter 2007 Coding Clinic for ICD-9-CM coding newsletter to clarify that these are the proper coding rules to follow even now--before these entries are officially incorporated into the ICD-9-CM book: "Question: We admitted a patient with a diagnosis of GAVE also referred to as watermelon stomach. We have been unsuccessful in locating an ICD-9-CM diagnosis code for this syndrome. What is the appropriate code assignment for GAVE? "Answer: Assign code 537.82, Angiodysplasia of stomach and duodenum (without mention of hemorrhage) for GAVE, when bleeding is not present. If bleeding is present, assign code 537.83, Angiodysplasia of stomach with hemorrhage." Greg Schnitzer CodeRyte, Inc. |