Documenting and Coding Ureteral Obstruction

Documenting and Coding Ureteral Obstruction

Ureteral obstructions are blockages that occur in your urinary tract. The article gives a detailed overview of the condition along with the associated medical codes.

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Ureteral obstructions are fairly common blockages that occur in one or both of your ureters. The ureters are two tubes that carry urine from each of your kidneys to your bladder. An obstruction in the ureters prevents urine from moving into your bladder and out of your body.

Obstructions or blockages in the ureters can be either complete or partial. If left untreated, urine can back up and damage your kidneys causing symptoms like pain, fever and infections. In severe cases, a ureteral obstruction can lead to kidney failure, sepsis (life-threatening infection) or even death. Treatment for this condition includes measures to open up a blocked path and to treat the cause of the blockage. Treatment modalities consist of drainage procedures to remove urine from your body and temporarily relieve the problems caused by a blockage. In addition, antibiotics may also be prescribed to

clear

the

associated

infections.

Correctly

diagnosing

and

documenting the obstructions within the ureters can be a complex task for physicians. Clear and precise medical record documentation is essential for correct billing and coding for this urology condition. With proper

documentation,

medical

billing

companies

can

help

physicians select the correct medical codes and file claims for maximum reimbursement.

According to reports, the prevalence of urinary tract obstruction ranges from five in 10,000 to five in 1,000 depending on the cause. An obstruction may occur suddenly or develop slowly over days, weeks, or even months. It can either completely or partially block part of the urinary tract. In some cases, only one kidney is affected, but obstruction may affect both the kidneys. The condition is quite common in men, particularly as they age; their prostate gland tends to www.outsourcestrategies.com

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enlarge (a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia) and block the flow of urine. However, in children the obstruction is mainly due to birth defects affecting the urinary tract.

Causes and Symptoms There are different types of ureteral obstructions, each having specific causes and some of them present at birth (congenital) which include duplication of the ureter, severe constipation, retroperitoneal fibrosis, ureteral stones, internal tissue growth, long-term swelling of the ureter wall and cancerous and noncancerous tumors.

The condition may not depict any specific signs or symptoms. In fact, the type and severity of symptoms depend on where the obstruction occurs, type of obstruction (whether it's partial or complete), how quickly it develops, and whether it affects one or both kidneys.

Common symptoms include  Abdominal pain on one or both sides (called flank pain)  Repeated urinary tract infections  Leg swelling  High blood pressure (hypertension)  Fever  Difficulty urinating  Changes in the amount of urine produced  Blood in the urine (called hematuria)  Reduced urine output (called oliguria) How to Diagnose and Treat Ureteral Obstruction?

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Patients experiencing any of the above symptoms must consult a urologist. Urologists may enquire about the symptoms and perform a physical examination on that basis. Urine and blood tests may be conducted to check for signs of infection, which may suggest that the kidneys are not working well. Imaging tests like MRI scan, CT scan, Voiding

cystourethrogram,

Renal

nuclear

scan,

Cystoscopy

and

Ultrasound may be performed to find the location and cause of the blockage. Other additional tests may be recommended based on the results of these tests.

Treatment will involve surgery to remove or if possible bypass blockages and repair any damage to the ureters and kidneys.

Antibiotics may be prescribed to clear associated infections. For ureteral obstruction that causes severe pain, the urologist may perform an immediate procedure to remove urine from the body and temporarily relieve the problems caused by a blockage. In such cases, aurologist may recommend - a ureteral stent (a hollow tube inserted inside the ureter to keep it open), Percutaneous nephrostomy (a tube inserted through your back to drain the kidney) and a catheter (a tube inserted through the urethra to connect the bladder to an external drainage bag). Based on the type and severity of the condition, the urologist may recommend either a single procedure or a combination of procedures which best suits the patient’s condition. However, drainage procedures may at times provide temporary or permanent relief, depending on the severity of the condition.

If any of these procedures don’t give the desired result, surgery may be performed to correct ureteral obstructions. The type of surgical

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procedure may depend on the patient’s condition and may include Endoscopic surgery, Laparoscopic surgery or open surgery. The number and size of incisions (used for the procedure) and recovery period determine the main differences between each of these surgical options. Based on the patient’s symptoms and condition, the urologist may decide on the type of procedure and the best surgical approach to treat the condition.

Urology medical billing and coding involves using the specific ICD10 diagnosis codes and CPT codes to report various urinary tract disorders like ureteral obstruction and the treatments provided on the medical claims that providers submit to health insurers. Urologists or other

specialists

who

treat

patients

need

to

submit

correct

documentation that meets payer guidelines. In addition to medical billing and coding services, insurance verification and pre-authorization services are essential to verify the patient’s coverage.

ICD-10 Codes  N13.0 - Hydronephrosis with ureteropelvic junction obstruction  N13.1 - Hydronephrosis with ureteral stricture, not elsewhere classified  N13.2 - Hydronephrosis with renal and ureteral calculous obstruction CPT Codes  52005 - Cystourethroscopy, with ureteral catheterization, with or without irrigation, instillation, or ureteropyelography, exclusive of radiologic service

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 52310 - Cystourethroscopy, with removal of foreign body, calculus, or ureteral stent from urethra or bladder (separate procedure); simple  52315 - Cystourethroscopy, with removal of foreign body, calculus, or ureteral stent from urethra or bladder (separate procedure); complicated  52332 - Cystourethroscopy, with insertion of indwelling ureteral stent (eg, Gibbons or double-J type)  52352

-

Cystourethroscopy,

with

ureteroscopy

and/or

pyeloscopy; with removal or manipulation of calculus (ureteral catheterization is included)  52353

-

Cystourethroscopy,

with

ureteroscopy

and/or

pyeloscopy; with lithotripsy (ureteral catheterization is included)  52356

-

Cystourethroscopy,

with

ureteroscopy

and/or

pyeloscopy; with lithotripsy including insertion of indwelling ureteral stent (eg, Gibbons or double-J type)  50382 - Removal (via snare/capture) and replacement of internally dwelling ureteral stent via percutaneous approach, including radiological supervision and interpretation  50384 - Removal (via snare/capture) of internally dwelling ureteral stent via percutaneous approach, including radiological supervision and interpretation  50385 - Removal (via snare/capture) and replacement of internally dwelling ureteral stent via transurethral approach, without use of cystoscopy, including radiological supervision and interpretation

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 50386 - Removal (via snare/capture) of internally dwelling ureteral

stent

via

transurethral

approach,

without

use

of

cystoscopy, including radiological supervision and interpretation  50387 - Removal and replacement of externally accessible nephroureteral catheter (eg, external/internal stent) requiring fluoroscopic guidance, including radiological supervision and interpretation  50389 - Removal of nephrostomy tube, requiring fluoroscopic guidance (eg, with concurrent indwelling ureteral stent)  50433 - Placement of nephroureteral catheter, percutaneous, including diagnostic nephrostogram and/or ureterogram when performed, imaging guidance (eg, ultrasound and/or fluoroscopy) and all associated radiological supervision and interpretation, new access  50688 - Change of ureterostomy tube or externally accessible ureteral stent via ileal conduit  50693 - Placement of ureteral stent, percutaneous, including diagnostic nephrostogram and/or ureterogram when performed, imaging guidance (eg, ultrasound and/or fluoroscopy), and all associated

radiological

supervision

and

interpretation;

pre-

existing nephrostomy tract  50694 - Placement of ureteral stent, percutaneous, including diagnostic nephrostogram and/or ureterogram when performed, imaging guidance (eg, ultrasound and/or fluoroscopy), and all associated

radiological

supervision

and

interpretation;

new

access, without separate nephrostomy catheter

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 50695 - Placement of ureteral stent, percutaneous, including diagnostic nephrostogram and/or ureterogram when performed, imaging guidance (eg, ultrasound and/or fluoroscopy), and all associated

radiological

supervision

and

interpretation;

new

access, with separate nephrostomy catheter The outlook for ureteral obstruction depends on whether the kidneys were damaged while the urine couldn’t be drained. There is no way to prevent ureteral obstruction caused by – a genetic condition, tumor, vascular disease or enlarged prostrate. Patients need to increase their intake of water and reduce the intake of sodium (salt) to prevent development of ureteral stone.

Billing and coding for urological conditions can be complex. For correct and appropriate medical billing and claims submission, healthcare practices can outsource their medical coding tasks to a reliable medical billing service provider that provides the services of AAPCcertified coding specialists.

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