Encephalopathy is a general term and means brain disease, brain damage or malfunction. Physicians often use encephalopathy and altered mental status interchangeably. When coders see this documentation in the healthcare records, they typically need to query the physician for clarification of the diagnosis.
What are the four stages of hepatic encephalopathy? Stage 1: mild symptoms, such as loss of sleep and shortened attention span. Stage 2: moderate symptoms, such as memory loss and slurred speech. Stage 3: severe symptoms, including personality changes, confusion, and extreme lethargy. Stage 4: a loss of consciousness and coma.
Other encephalopathy
What to know about encephalopathy
The admission is five days long and the final diagnosis is encephalopathy due to polypharmacy with a metabolic component due to UTI. If toxic encephalopathy (encephalopathy due to drug) is sequenced as the principal diagnosis, metabolic encephalopathy as a secondary diagnosis will act as an MCC.
Encephalopathy – ICD 10 Coding and Documentation GuidelinesG92 Toxic Encephalopathy. ... G93.41Metabolic Encephalopathy. ... G93.1 Anoxic Encephalopathy. ... K72.90 Hepatic Encephalopathy/Hepatic failure, unspecified without coma. ... I67.4 Hypertensive Encephalopathy. ... G93.40 Acute and/or Unspecified Encephalopathy.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has described encephalopathy as a term for “any diffuse disease of the brain that alters brain function or structure” and says the “hallmark of encephalopathy is an altered mental status.” It then proceeds to list a hodge-podge of acute and chronic ...
Definition. Encephalopathy is a term for any diffuse disease of the brain that alters brain function or structure.
The guidance provided from Coding Clinic is that “encephalopathy” secondary to a CVA/stroke is not inherent to a CVA/stroke, and as such it should be coded separately with code G93. 49, Other encephalopathy.
Acute encephalopathy and delirium are clinically similar, but for coding purposes, very different. Delirium is a low-weighted symptom; encephalopathy is a serious, high-weighted medical condition. Delirium is usually due to an underlying encephalopathy, and clinicians should document as such if clinically present.
Blood and urine tests. Spinal fluid tests. Imaging scans, such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Electroencephalography (EEG) test, which measures the electrical activity in your brain.
The following are some major types of encephalopathy, along with their causes.Chronic traumatic encephalopathy. ... Glycine encephalopathy. ... Hashimoto's encephalopathy. ... Hepatic encephalopathy. ... Hypertensive encephalopathy. ... Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. ... Toxic-metabolic encephalopathy. ... Infectious encephalopathies.More items...
encephalitis. Encephalopathy and encephalitis both affect the brain, but there are significant differences. Encephalitis refers to inflammation in the brain, which often results from a viral infection. Encephalopathy refers to permanent or temporary brain damage, disorder, or disease.
The major symptom of encephalopathy is an altered mental state. Encephalopathy is often considered a complication of a primary problem such as alcoholic cirrhosis, kidney failure, or anoxia.
Acute toxic-metabolic encephalopathy (TME), which encompasses delirium and the acute confusional state, is an acute condition of global cerebral dysfunction in the absence of primary structural brain disease [1].
Table 1: West-Haven Criteria for Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE)StageConsciousnessIntellect and Behavior1Mild lack of awarenessShortened attention span2LethargicDisoriented; Inappropriate behavior3Somnolent but arousableGross disorientation; Bizarre behavior4ComaComa1 more row
Indexed in ICD-10-CM to G92 is caused by exposure to neurotoxic substance, poisoning or OD and can be caused by everyday products that we use. Treatment is geared towards the cause or the symptoms. This type of encephalopathy is most often irreversible.
The most common types we see are toxic encephalopathy, metabolic encephalopathy, anoxic encephalopathy, hepatic encephalopathy, hypertensive encephalopathy, acute encephalopathy and just documentation of encephalopathy. This is only a short list of entries under encephalopathy in the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index.
Coding Tip: Encephalopathy. Encephalopathy is a diagnosis that coders see a lot these days. It is a general term and means brain disease, brain damage or malfunction. The primary symptom that is seen in the healthcare record is altered mental status.
Indexed in ICD-10-CM to G93.40 is caused by either a direct injury to the brain or an illness. Most times, the cause is known but not documented by the physician for coders and no further specific code can be assigned.
Indexed in ICD-10-CM to G93.41 (there are also entries for drug induced and toxic) is caused by lack of glucose, metabolic agent or electrolyte imbalance. An electrolyte imbalance can be cause by a large number of conditions including, dehydration, trauma, renal failure, and infection. Treatment is geared towards the cause or the symptoms and is most often reversible once the metabolic issue is corrected.
The diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy does not mean “coma” is always present. In order for a coder to report that this is with coma, the MD would need to document as such. This is a possibly reversible condition with the appropriate treatment and compliance with the treatment.
Remember that encephalopathy due to postictal state is not coded separately as it is integral to the seizure (see AHA CC 4Q2013 Page: 89-90)
Encephalopathy /ɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒpəθi/ means disorder or disease of the brain. In modern usage, encephalopathy does not refer to a single disease, but rather to a syndrome of overall brain dysfunction; this syndrome can have many different organic and inorganic causes.
The ICD-10-CM Alphabetical Index links the below-listed medical terms to the ICD code G93.40. Click on any term below to browse the alphabetical index.
This is the official exact match mapping between ICD9 and ICD10, as provided by the General Equivalency mapping crosswalk. This means that in all cases where the ICD9 code 348.30 was previously used, G93.40 is the appropriate modern ICD10 code.
Encephalopathy is a general term and means brain disease, brain damage or malfunction. Physicians often use encephalopathy and altered mental status interchangeably. When coders see this documentation in the healthcare records, they typically need to query the physician for clarification of the diagnosis. Sometimes, we find ourselves wanting to scream! There is already a coding tip on the most common types of encephalopathy on the HIA blog .
When encephalopathy is due to postictal state it is not coded separately since it is considered to be integral to the seizure
Even when the cause is known , such as metabolic issues, the physician should be specific with the documentation. This will make it much easier for an auditor to follow the “treatment” and or “monitoring” that is being given for the diagnosis of encephalopathy.
These are either for missed queries or for clinical validation. All diagnoses must be documented and clinically supported to meet the Universal Hospital Discharge Data Set (UHDDS) definition of a secondary diagnosis. Coders should be reviewing the medical records looking for clear and consistent documentation of the diagnosis as well as treatment, or other criteria, making sure that the diagnosis meets the UHDDS definition for reporting.
There is one type of encephalopathy that cannot be reversed. Static encephalopathy is an altered mental state or brain damage that is permanent. The best possible outcome is to possibly prevent further damage.
Infection/viral— documentation of encephalopathy is seen often in patients with sepsis, COVID-19, pneumonia, urinary tract infections and many other bacterial or viral diseases
There are many symptoms associated with encephalopathy, but there is one symptom that is present in all types and that is altered mental status. Coders cringe when they see that documented as well.