Find comprehensive information on post-operative pain diagnosis, including clinical documentation tips, medical coding guidelines, and healthcare best practices. Learn about ICD-10 codes for post-surgical pain, pain management strategies, and proper documentation for reimbursement. This resource covers acute post-operative pain, chronic post-surgical pain, and other related complications for accurate medical coding and effective patient care. Explore resources for healthcare professionals on managing and documenting post-operative pain.
Also known as
Acute postprocedural pain
Pain following a medical procedure.
Complications of surgical procedures
Covers various surgical complications, including potential pain.
Persons encountering health services
May be used for aftercare or follow-up for post-operative pain.
Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.
Is the pain site specified?
Yes
Pain related to specific organ/site?
No
Is the pain acute or chronic?
When to use each related code
Description |
---|
Post-operative pain |
Chronic post-surgical pain |
Acute pain |
Coding post-op pain without specifying the anatomical location can lead to claim denials and inaccurate data reporting. CDI should query for site specificity.
Incorrect coding of pain management procedures, like nerve blocks, can cause compliance issues and lost revenue. Audit for accurate procedure/diagnosis linking.
Miscoding acute post-op pain as chronic pain can impact reimbursement and quality metrics. CDI should clarify pain duration for accurate coding.
Patient presents with post-operative pain following [Surgical Procedure Name] performed on [Date of Surgery]. Pain assessment reveals [Pain Location - e.g., incisional, abdominal, generalized] pain characterized as [Pain Quality - e.g., sharp, dull, aching, throbbing, burning] with a severity of [Pain Scale Rating - e.g., NRS 7/10, Wong-Baker Faces scale indicating moderate pain]. Patient reports the pain is [Pain Timing - e.g., constant, intermittent, worse with movement, relieved by rest] and impacting [Activities of Daily Living - e.g., ambulation, sleep, deep breathing]. Surgical site appears [Wound Assessment - e.g., well-approximated, clean, dry, no signs of infection, erythema present, drainage noted]. Review of systems pertinent to post-surgical complications is negative for fever, chills, excessive bleeding, or signs of deep vein thrombosis. Current medications include [List current medications including pain medications, dosage, and frequency]. Diagnosis: Post-operative pain. Plan: Continue current pain management regimen. Educate patient on pain control strategies including splinting, deep breathing exercises, and activity modification. Monitor pain levels and adjust analgesics as needed. Follow-up appointment scheduled for [Date of Follow-up]. Differential diagnoses considered included surgical site infection, hematoma, and nerve irritation. ICD-10 code: [Appropriate ICD-10 code - e.g., G89.18 - Other chronic postprocedural pain].