Find information on Thoracic Outlet Syndrome diagnosis, including clinical documentation, medical coding (ICD-10 G54.0), symptoms, and treatment. Learn about neurogenic, venous, and arterial TOS, scalene muscle involvement, costoclavicular space compression, and diagnostic tests like Adson's maneuver, Roos test, and imaging studies. This resource offers guidance for healthcare professionals on accurate TOS documentation and coding best practices.
Also known as
Brachial plexus disorders
Compression of nerves in the brachial plexus, causing pain and weakness in the arm and hand.
Subclavian artery occlusion/stenosis
Narrowing or blockage of the subclavian artery, reducing blood flow to the arm.
Axillary artery occlusion/stenosis
Narrowing or blockage of the axillary artery, affecting blood flow to the arm.
Radiculopathy NOS
Pinched nerve causing pain, numbness, or weakness in the arm, not otherwise specified.
Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.
Is the thoracic outlet syndrome neurogenic?
Yes
Is it traumatic?
No
Is it venous?
When to use each related code
Description |
---|
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome |
Cervical Radiculopathy |
Brachial Plexopathy |
Coding TOS without specifying right, left, or bilateral can lead to claim denials and inaccurate data reporting. Use ICD-10-CM coding guidelines for laterality.
Incorrectly differentiating neurogenic (G54.0) vs. vascular TOS (I87.0) impacts severity coding and reimbursement. CDI specialists should clarify documentation.
Coding symptoms like pain (M79.609) without the TOS diagnosis leads to underreporting and lost revenue. Code both the diagnosis and contributing symptoms.
Patient presents with symptoms consistent with thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). Presenting complaints include [Insert specific patient complaints such as neck pain, shoulder pain, arm pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, or swelling]. Pain characteristics described as [Insert descriptors such as sharp, dull, aching, burning, throbbing, or radiating]. Symptoms are [Insert symptom frequency and duration such as intermittent, constant, worsening, improving, or associated with specific activities]. On physical examination, [Insert relevant physical exam findings such as positive Adson's sign, positive Roos test, diminished pulses, palpable supraclavicular mass, or limited range of motion]. Differential diagnosis includes cervical radiculopathy, brachial plexus neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, and other causes of upper extremity pain. Assessment suggests neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS), venous thoracic outlet syndrome (VTOS), or arterial thoracic outlet syndrome (ATOS) based on presenting symptoms and examination findings. Plan includes [Insert planned diagnostic tests such as chest X-ray, cervical spine X-ray, MRI, CT scan, nerve conduction studies, electromyography, or vascular studies]. Conservative treatment options discussed including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and pain management. Surgical intervention will be considered if conservative management fails to provide adequate symptom relief. Patient education provided regarding thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment options. Follow-up appointment scheduled for [Insert date and time of follow-up appointment]. Referral to [Insert specialist referral if applicable such as vascular surgeon, thoracic surgeon, neurologist, or pain specialist].