Understanding hydronephrosis diagnosis, treatment, and medical coding? Find information on hydronephrosis ICD-10 codes, clinical documentation requirements, renal ultrasound findings, ureteral obstruction causes, and treatment options including nephrostomy tube placement. Learn about hydronephrosis stages, symptoms, and prognosis. This resource provides healthcare professionals with essential information for accurate hydronephrosis diagnosis coding and patient care.
Also known as
Hydronephrosis
Dilatation of the renal pelvis and calyces.
Congenital anomalies of kidney
Birth defects affecting kidney structure, often causing hydronephrosis.
Diseases of the genitourinary system
Encompasses various urinary tract disorders, including hydronephrosis.
Other urinary symptoms
Includes unspecified urinary issues that might be linked to hydronephrosis.
Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.
Is hydronephrosis unilateral or bilateral?
Unilateral
Obstruction specified?
Bilateral
Obstruction specified?
When to use each related code
Description |
---|
Swelling of kidney due to urine buildup |
Kidney stones obstructing urinary tract |
Narrowing of ureter obstructing urine flow |
Incorrect coding for the affected kidney (right, left, or bilateral) can lead to inaccurate claims and denials. ICD-10 laterality coding is crucial for hydronephrosis.
Coding with unspecified codes when a more specific cause or stage is documented leads to loss of data specificity for quality reporting and reimbursement.
Failing to code the underlying obstructive cause (e.g., stone, stricture) along with hydronephrosis leads to undercoding and missed CC/MCC capture.
Patient presents with [chief complaint related to hydronephrosis, e.g., flank pain, abdominal pain, urinary tract infection, hematuria]. Review of systems reveals [positive findings, e.g., nausea, vomiting, dysuria, frequency, urgency] and pertinent negatives include [negative findings]. Past medical history includes [relevant past medical history, e.g., kidney stones, nephrolithiasis, ureteropelvic junction obstruction, posterior urethral valves, vesicoureteral reflux, prostate enlargement, bladder outlet obstruction]. Family history is significant for [relevant family history, e.g., polycystic kidney disease]. Medications include [list medications]. Physical exam reveals [relevant findings, e.g., costovertebral angle tenderness, palpable abdominal mass]. Preliminary diagnosis of hydronephrosis is suspected. Ordered renal ultrasound to evaluate for hydronephrosis severity, assess renal pelvis dilation, and identify any underlying obstructive uropathy. Differential diagnoses include pyelonephritis, renal cyst, renal tumor, and other causes of urinary tract obstruction. Will consider CT urogram if ultrasound is inconclusive. Patient education provided regarding hydronephrosis symptoms, causes, treatment options including ureteral stenting or nephrostomy tube placement, and potential complications like kidney damage or infection. Plan to discuss management based on imaging results and follow up in [timeframe] to reassess and adjust treatment as needed. ICD-10 code N49. CPT codes for potential procedures such as renal ultrasound 76770, CT urogram 74177, ureteral stent placement 50398, and nephrostomy tube placement 50392 may be applicable depending on the course of treatment.