Abdomen - Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine

Q: Driver of a motorcycle without a helmet is struck by a large truck on the highway. He arrives with a GCS 4 and has the usual workup with a CT-head that does not demonstrate any injury. He remains in coma for several days and undergoes an MRI which clearly identifies diffuse axonal injury (DAI) located at the corpus callosum; How would you code this injury and what is your rationale for the choice?

Oct 1, 2011 | Abdomen | 0 comments

A: Because of the length of coma, the DAI is coded from the concussive section of the head chapter even though we know it is located at the corpus callosum. The coma is consistent for > 24 hours with the MRI appropriately done to confirm the diagnosis and reason for prolonged coma. Code: 161011.5

Q: 36 y.o. female is running across the highway and struck by a vehicle at high speed; she is unresponsive at the scene and has an immediate CT-head which identifies a large bleed likely at the sagittal sinus; Operative craniotomy revealsa laceration to the sagittal sinus with a 2000ml blood loss; the injury is irreparable; How do you code this injury?

May 1, 2011 | Abdomen | 0 comments

A: sadly the blood loss, although massive, cannot be attached to this injury specifically and laceration is the only available code. Code: 122402.4

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